Naruto Fuujinroku
by Daneel Rush
Summary: These are the chronicles of the Golden Wind God. In the beginning, the orphan became a heir. In Fantasia, the heir will become a shinobi. DEAD.
1. Lost Blue Eyes: Prologue

Hyuuga Hiashi walked briskly under the rainy night. Despite his utmost celerity, his steps were firm and confident, radiating the strength and authority expected –no, demanded– from an institution such as the great clan's head. His perennially neutral, if a bit stern, expression showed no hint of complaint towards the raging sky above, flimsily protected as he was from the raindrops by a small dark blue umbrella his cautious daughter had thought of carrying with her. He wasn't the kind of person who said such things out loud (or, at least, he wasn't supposed to be), but he was grateful. Rain, while being a minor inconvenience to most, could be potentially troublesome to Hiashi. Supposed to be the closest thing to perfection in almost every aspect, he was somehow supposed to remain immaculate despite the roaring storm that wrapped the Hidden Village of the Leaf like a mantle of strife.

That might be the reason he had chosen a different route to his home that night, as if purposely avoiding other people. Certainly, that muddy, dark street seemed completely devoid of life other than the tall man and his little daughter. How could they possibly know that same dark street and, more specifically, an even darker alley a few hundred feet ahead, had been the scenery for a horrible tragedy?

The little girl, Hyuuga Hinata, struggled to keep her father's pace. They were in a section of the village she didn't see very often, and she'd have liked to look around a bit. Of course, she wouldn't have been able to see much in the dead of night, in that particularly dark street, with all the rain. In fact, the street was awfully dark. She'd have been more scared if her father weren't walking with her and if tiredness hadn't claimed her, demanding some much-deserved rest. It was quite late. She'd normally be fast asleep in any other day and for quite a while already. While a part of her wanted to beg her father to slow his pace a bit (of course, she'd never do something like that), her body couldn't wait to be comfortably wrapped under her sheets, sleeping peacefully.

It was the seventh anniversary of the defeat of the Nine-Tailed Demon Fox. Of course she knew the story: it was the most important historical event of recent times. She knew about the heroic victory of the valiant Yondaime Hokage over the fiendish beast, at the cost of his life, and she understood the importance of such an event and why it was celebrated with a day-long festival. That didn't mean she had to like it. She wasn't against festivals or celebrations, she just wasn't used to such large gatherings of people. Her family's few celebrations were completely unlike that festival. She was used to quiet dinners and stoic reunions where the only reason she wouldn't be bored was because she felt too nervous to. In a family where every waking moment seemed to be a challenge, a test of strength of mind and proper manners, the slightest sign of disrespect would be very regrettable.

Certainly, she wasn't used to the things she had seen that evening. Such an explosion of emotions; an almost……savage burst of excitement, she had never seen something like that; it was the first time she had assisted to the village's celebration. Apparently, she was of age to start attending events as the Hyuuga Heir.

But she knew she would think about those sights for days to come. The scents of sweat and alcohol had sickened her, and the copious amounts of food had overwhelmed her. Her ears had threatened to burst with the loud music and the cacophony of hundreds of voices. She had eaten so much, she didn't feel too well……but so many people had offered so many different kinds of food to the "cute heiress of the Hyuuga," and she found it so hard to say no………

She always had problems dealing with other people. She couldn't fight against her natural shyness, amplified to superlative levels after the tragic demise of her beloved mother. She felt so small in front of others, so weak that she could only answer with little more than monosyllables. She was forced to face so many different people that night, and the vast majority of them she had never met before. She had tried to at least properly answer all questions fired at her, so she hoped she hadn't embarrassed her father. However, she ended up tired and bored, especially since she wasn't allowed to join the other children, being the heiress and all. She probably wouldn't have even tried approaching them otherwise, anyway. The whole place, the whole village seemed to be infused with energy too intimidating and alien for her. However, she couldn't stop herself from wishing she could have become one with that enthusiasm.

It had been an exhausting day, and Hinata couldn't help but be glad it was over. It seemed not even the rain would stop the partying. The people of Konoha would simply seclude themselves in their homes, sheltered from the elements. Some of them would simply ignore the rain, too wasted to mind. While Hinata (and the Hyuuga clan in general) didn't approve of such………"outright barbaric" behavior, she guessed the people of the Leaf deserved to celebrate. The Demon Fox had been a tragedy and its defeat stood as Konoha's greatest triumph after its foundation. It was a day of extremes: a day where they would mourn those who died in that calamitous day and also celebrate the epic defeat of the terrifying demon.

Yes, it was a happy day for all……

……all but one. Of course, there was no way she could know that……yet.

The relentless rain fell upon the two, drowning their steps within its boring cacophony. The sound of their sandals splashing water and carefully avoiding the pools of mud disappeared in the roaring symphony of the falling droplets; an immense curtain of water like nature's arabesque. Torrents of water poured down from the roofs with loud splashing sounds. For an instant, Konoha drowned in light when an irregular white line fell from the sky behind the Hokage Monument, and exploded, immediately followed by the mighty growl of thunder. Hinata shrieked (fortunately, the outside noise hid her shameful display of fear) and clutched her father's robe. Hiashi didn't react in any visible way.

Hinata looked up at her father. It had been a while since the last time she had spent a relatively prolonged period of time with him. He had changed. The Hyuuga family had changed. In fact, it might have disappeared.

It had been almost two years since the worst day of her life. Her mother had left, taking the soul of the Hyuuga family with her. She wasn't the same since that day, and neither was her father, and it was indirectly affecting the entire clan as a whole.

Hiashi's step faltered for a split instant, but long enough for his daughter to notice. A glance at her sire showed that something had caught his attention. With her short stature it was difficult for her to follow his eyes, but she managed to trace the object of his attention: a dark bundle on the ground, leaning against a wall some twenty yards ahead by her left side. What was that?

She noticed her father's pace changing to slow, cautious steps as they approached the……whatever that was. It was too big and its shape too aberrant to be a stray dog or cat. For a moment she pondered the idea of it being a trash bag, but her father wouldn't be so cautious when dealing with such a lowly thing!

It was right about then when she realized it was a human being. Hinata was puzzled by her father's behavior, as if he expected that person to suddenly grow fangs and attack them. Even if that had been his (because it certainly didn't look like a she) intention, Hinata seriously doubted he could have been able to take into fruition. Even from a distance, she could see this person was drenched from hair to toes. He looked exhausted to the point of having succumbed and dropped himself on that empty street to be punished by the elements.

For a reason beyond her comprehension, Hinata couldn't stop herself from devoting her undivided attention to that small person. Apparently, her interest wasn't disapproved by her father, who seemed to be almost as interested as her, even if his face didn't show it. She guessed such morbid curiosity was unsightly from a Hyuuga, but, well……nobody was looking. She still wondered why her father was so intrigued by whoever was sitting on the muddy ground over there.

As her eyes focused a bit better and her concentration improved, Hinata was able to figure out a few more things about the "mysterious figure." And, the more she saw, the more she wished she wouldn't have.

She easily guessed that, from his size, he had to be a child approximately her age. Something clutched her chest the moment she imagined herself in that boy's place. Why was he there? Why wasn't he enjoying the commodities of a house and a warm bed?

The boy had his arms wrapped around his legs and his face buried in his thighs. Every single inch of his body was wet, of course. His green shorts were stained with mud, and his golden hair draped down his face like an ugly mop. His shirt she found intriguing. Was it white with dark spots, or dark with white spots? She couldn't figure it out. She had never seen something like that before. It reminded her of some camouflage suits she had seen once, but white wasn't a color she'd seen on those. Whatever it was, the t-shirt was torn in many places, the rain being probably the only thing that ensured the piece of cloth still clung to the boy's body.

Much to her surprise, her father stopped when the boy was exactly to their left. Hinata had been so focused on watching the boy that she almost crashed on her father's left leg. She looked up, and she was amazed by what she saw.

There was a curious glimmer in his eyes and a subtle change in his expression Hinata barely noticed. The little girl figured it was the Hyuuga equivalent of a shocked expression. Hiashi had obviously seen something she hadn't, because she couldn't understand why the kid elicited such a reaction from her father.

Hinata looked at the boy one more time. She, too, had recognized the boy, of course. That blonde hair, even if his usual messy hairdo had disappeared courtesy of the raging storm, was unmistakable. She had seen the boy once or twice before. It was that boy everyone seemed to hate.

She was shy and quiet, but she wasn't stupid. On the few occasions she had seen the boy, she had also noticed the way he was looked at by everyone else. Hyuuga or non-Hyuuga, it was as if the entire village had joined in a horrible alliance focused on despising that boy. Hinata couldn't possibly understand the reasoning behind such behavior, but she had quickly forgotten about it, until that moment.

She had seen people shouting all sorts of horrible insults at him, people spitting at him, some even threw trash and rocks at him. She didn't know, but he had even been on the receiving end of kunai and shuriken. She didn't understand how people could just do such things and get away with it. Of course, that was because the whole population of Konoha seemed to be one single accomplice.

Remembering the boy's sad, unfair and incredible circumstances evoked Hinata's pity. Watching the (apparently) sleeping form of the boy Hinata was reminded that out there, somewhere, there was always someone faring worse than you. Ever since her mother's death, she had been the object of scorn from the Clan Council. Hinata, as the heir of the clan, was somehow expected to suddenly grow up and prove herself as a person worthy of the title. She knew she would eventually enter the Ninja Academy and become a kunoichi; no less could be expected from the future leader of the Hyuuga. While she didn't precisely have anything against becoming a ninja, she wasn't sure she had what it takes for such a career.

She didn't hate herself (that would come in due time). She didn't dislike her weakness or her natural kindness: it's a part of who she is, the young little girl her mother had loved. But, apparently, the traits her mother had praised and encouraged in her were the same traits the council rejected and found inappropriate in a worthy heiress. It was confusing, intimidating and very depressing, watching the disapproving looks of the Main Family and, even worse, the disappointed expression on her father's face. She had already been introduced to the family's combat style, Jyuuken, and she had already shown she wasn't the natural taijutsu genius she should have been as the daughter of Hyuuga Hiashi. If there was a Jyuuken genius among the youngest generation, it was her cousin Neji.

While things weren't precisely the best for her, her self-pity disappeared when faced with the harsh reality of the boy in front of her. Her tiredness disappeared and her expression softened. He was a person she could understand, because she was like him. Even her infant mind knew her situation was nothing compared to his, but she guessed that, in a way, she could understand.

However, the sudden awareness of who the boy in front of her was incited a frightening idea in her mind. Had someone done something to him? Had someone hurt him and left him alone under the rain?

When she realized the horrible truth, she gasped. She gasped apparently loud enough for her father to hear, because she could feel his strong arm clutching her left shoulder in a way that was almost painful. It didn't matter: she was too shocked and too terrified to do anything.

It was blood.

The dark stains on his white shirt. It was blood.

An unconscious reflex made the girl swiftly hide her tiny body behind her father's legs, peeking at the bleeding figure from a side. She then understood her father's expression. Even the cold and normally expressionless leader of the Hyuuga Clan was unsettled by the sight of a wounded child. Hyuuga Hiashi was many things, but not heartless. Like any parent, for an instant, Hiashi replaced that pitiful boy for his daughter, and the mental image of Hinata in such a state made his blood boil.

Needless to say, Hiashi knew a lot more than his daughter. He had easily recognized the blood stains for what they were. He had also (correctly) inferred that the boy had lost a lot more blood than it showed, but it had already mixed with rainwater and disappeared, consumed by the ever-hungry land. He also had a pretty good idea of what had happened and, of course, **why **it had happened.

He knew it was the boy's birthday, and he also knew the boy had the (smart, he'd admit) habit of going into hiding that day, as the village's hatred towards him reached its annual peak that day. Apparently, the boy hadn't been fast enough that evening.

It troubled Hiashi to admit he wasn't particularly fond of the blonde brat. Like every other family and clan in Konoha, he had lost someone during those terrible days exactly seven years before. The Hyuuga Clan had lost many valuable and brave members. Human being as he was, he understood the village's hatred focused on the demon's vessel, even if he didn't fully approve of it. He was aware that the boy was as much a demon as his first daughter was a vicious sadist, but he was also aware of Konoha's need for a scapegoat. The fear, the hatred, the pain and the tears would take too long to disappear. In the mean time, the citizens of the ninja village needed an outlet, a way to release those negative emotions so that they wouldn't consume them. It was a pity that this outlet had to take the form of a small child.

Like many others, when the truth behind the Kyuubi's "defeat" was revealed to the adult citizens of Konoha, the Hyuuga Clan had demanded the newborn's death. It was Hiashi's and his wife's reasoning which prevented the most emotional members of the clan from openly challenging the Hokage and attempting to slay the helpless child. After all, nobody really knew the workings of the Fourth's seal, except maybe Jiraiya of the Sannin. What if killing the baby only released the nine-tailed beast? Hyuuga Hiashi wasn't willing to take the risk. The Fourth was dead, and Hiashi wasn't as arrogant as to believe the Hyuuga Clan could protect Konoha from the mightiest of all demon beasts. They were a proud clan, but, as much as it pained him, they knew their limits. Very few people can stand to face a bijuu and live to tell the tale, and only in legends it's heard of humans defeating such powerful creatures. Hell, most people (shinobi included) crumble and break down just by experiencing the demon's immense killing intent.

This unfathomable fear of the possibility of a second advent of Kyuubi no Kitsune saved the boy's life. Unfortunately, it also turned it into a living hell. However, no Hyuuga had ever raised a hand against the boy. If anything, they showered him with glares and scowls, but Hyuuga Hiashi and his wife didn't tolerate any violence towards the "Kyuubi brat." It was the least and the only thing they could do for him. However, as much as he disliked admitting it, Hyuuga Hiashi disliked the boy. It wasn't really his fault, though: as it was the case for pretty much everyone else, the boy reminded Hiashi of so much death, sadness and outright terror. True, he protected the boy that night seven years before, and he knew keeping him alive was the right decision. That didn't mean he was supposed to like it……or like him, for that matter.

That's why the Hyuuga Clan Leader was caught in a dilemma. He could tell the kid was still alive. He could also tell that the only reason he was still alive after losing so much blood was probably his……tenant. A part of him wanted to take his daughter and resume his walk home. However, the part of him that was once a loving husband, the part of him that loves his two daughters, demanded him to do the right thing and ensure the boy's safety. He was a proud and cold Hyuuga, but he was also a parent. In his mind, no child, not even the demon's vessel, deserved what the boy was going through in that moment.

However, he didn't move. For some reason, he couldn't move. He simply stared in morbid fascination at the still form of the terribly wounded child. He could also feel her daughter's trembling form, and he also knew it wasn't just the cold.

* * *

Uzumaki Naruto was in a universe of pain.

It wasn't the first time he had taken kunai wounds. But it was definitely the first time he had taken so many. He had known for a long time that he was quite resilient to pain, and his wounds were always quick to heal. That was one of the reasons he managed to bear the abuse and hatred of the villagers.

It was also the reason he knew he was going to die.

Blood no longer poured out of his wounds. Considering the terrifying amounts of blood he had lost, it was to be expected. The pain all over his body had dulled, but that was probably because he could no longer feel his body at all. It was painfully ironic. His body was numb, almost inexistent, but his head felt like it was on fire.

His throat was sore. He didn't felt like screaming anymore. He had done that plenty enough, and nobody had shown up to help him, not even the fearsome ANBU which always showed up whenever a person's aggressiveness towards him crossed a certain boundary. That night he'd been completely alone and at the mercy of the crazed predator.

He knew he should have locked his house and disappeared in the forest until the next sunrise. That was what he always did on his birthdays. But he had allowed hunger to defeat him. He had stayed too long in the village, hoping to find someplace, someone willing to sell him something to eat.

He'd pay for that with his life.

He was used to the villagers' hatred and abuse. He was used to being kicked out of stores, parks and restaurants. He was used to being overcharged for even the pettiest things. He was used to being called names. He was used to being ignored. He was used to watching parents not allowing their children to play with him. He was used to being thrown things, from rotten food to ninja weapons. He was used to finding his room trashed every single time he tried to give it a semblance of decency: it had happened in the orphanage, and it was happening in the pitiful apartment the old man Sandaime had offered him a few months before. Yes, he was used to being the village pariah. And he had long before figured out that complaining, crying or getting angry was only adding fuel to the flames. The bastards reveled in his weakness and his agony, and they were always eager for more. He had also given up on asking why. He had given up on that a while ago, too. He didn't even know why he was the object of such abuse, and nobody would tell him. It made him feel like actually doing something hideous and justify their behavior.

At least the old Hokage was nice to him. After five years of solitude in the orphanage with the other "Kyuubi orphans," the Third had offered him a chance at living on his own. Naruto had guessed it couldn't get any worse and accepted. Boy was he wrong. He appreciated what the Third did for him, of course. Naruto had so little he knew when to be grateful. The old man made sure he had enough money to afford his measly living, and he also made sure the ANBU controlled the villagers' most violent outbursts. Naruto was grateful, yes, and that is probably one of the reasons he never complained.

Naruto didn't want to bother the old Hokage. He didn't want to give old man Sarutobi a reason to hate him. Naruto had refused to cry or complain: that only made things worse. He faced the hatred and the abuse with a mask of silliness and blissful ignorance, and hid the tears deep within his anguished self. He didn't have much. He simply _**existed**_, a meaningless existence drowned in darkness.

And, that night, the darkness had become awfully real.

When hurt, Naruto never cried, screamed or called for help. Not before that night. That night, when caught by the man with the insane eyes and the gleeful smile that dripped demented hate, Naruto's mask of toughness and smiles cracked and became nothingness, to be replaced by true terror. On his seventh birthday, Naruto looked at death in the eyes and, despite being an exemplar of resilience and willpower, succumbed to primal fear.

He cannot be blamed for that. He was, after all, seven years old.

He never had a chance, of course. So he screamed, cried and pleaded, first for help, later for mercy, his voice drowned by the harsh rainfall. He screamed at the top of his lungs until he bit his tongue. He took a deep breath and screamed again, until the vicious assailant buried his weapon in his lungs. Then he simply watched the dark sky, his body flinching every single time the piercing weapon stabbed its way through his skin. He felt his mouth filling with blood and ignored the bitter taste of approaching death. He simply watched the sky, the gray clouds briefly turned white by the occasional flash of lightning. Had his brain not been overwhelmed by unfathomable pain, he would have concluded it was the perfect choice for his last visage of the world of the living. It was beautiful, in all its violence.

However, his to-be killer wouldn't even grant him that pleasure.

He didn't know how long he had been unconscious. He didn't know how he managed to get up and walk out of the dark alley he had been dragged to by his attacker. Leaning against the wall to his left, he made a few weak steps before stumbling on a trash can and falling one last time. He barely remembered shifting his body to the position he was when the two Hyuugas found him.

As if the forces that be were mocking him, his body refused to give in to unconsciousness again, forcing him to bear with the pain. The hundreds of droplets of water that hit him every second felt like needles on his skin. His head was the worst; the throbbing pain was simply too much. For the first time ever, he actually found himself wanting to die. He was just so **tired**………

He couldn't scream or call for help. His throat was sore and every few seconds or so a trail of blood escaped from the corner of his mouth. Any attempt at speech turned out a weak, pitiful sound. One more, and hopefully last, time he found himself wondering……why?

A combination of sensitive senses of smell and hearing plus simple instinctive awareness alarmed to the presence of someone else nearby. Had the crazy shinobi returned to finish the job?

No……he didn't feel that horrible, rotten killing intent tainted by alcohol and dementia. It was someone else. But that was of no importance. Whoever it was, he or she was probably enjoying the sight. Oh, well, he might as well face his end with his head up.

He wanted to cry, but no tears would come out. The bastard who attacked him had made sure of it.

* * *

Hinata flinched when the boy's body shook. It was barely imperceptible, but the Hyuuga family members are perceptive if nothing else. The two Hyuugas had thought Naruto was unconscious. That's because the rain made it impossible to hear his weak groans and whines. However, his slow and uncertain movement alerted them. He had to be aware of their presence. Both Hyuugas quickly realized why Naruto wouldn't speak or move or face them. He was too weak, too tired and too hurt to do either.

That didn't mean he didn't try. Slowly, very slowly, the blonde raised his face. Uncertain of where to look at, he looked straight in front of him. Not that it made a difference, in any case.

Hinata couldn't stop herself. She shrieked, holding to her father for dear life. Her legs had given in. She almost stained her lovely kimono. She wanted to look away, she desperate needed to look away, but the same fear that begged her to run away from that boy as fast as she could stuck her body to that place and her eyes to his face.

Hiashi, who had seen his share of atrocities in his life, obviously fared much better. However, the expression on his face would have elicited some quite scandalous comments from the Council had they seen him.

Naruto's eyes were gone, replaced with two…bloody……things. Someone had stabbed Naruto's two eyes with a piercing object, most likely a kunai. Like some freaky kabuki make-up, two torrents of blood mixed with rainwater poured out of the two eye sockets. As for the eyeballs themselves……

Naruto kept his eyes half-closed, protecting their bloody remains from the elements, but his eyelids were just as torn. He had obvious closed his eyes reflexively as the metal tip of the deadly kunai fell down on his orbs. He was looking at nowhere, which Hiashi guessed was obvious. He guessed Naruto had noticed their presence, even if he was unable to see them. He wondered just how that kid was still alive after such abominable punishment. As the leader of a family that values its precious bloodline limit, the sight in front of him was particularly unsettling.

Hiashi knew he should have somehow protected Hinata from such a shocking sight. However, she had already seen plenty enough. A part of him acknowledged the girl for staying relatively steady after seeing……_**that**_. He had expected her to faint on the spot.

Hinata was terrified, yet she couldn't stop watching. Her mind immediately pictured herself in Naruto's position, and she felt like throwing up. The idea of someone……stabbing her eyes………

Her father's strong hand held her before she could fall on her knees. Hinata grimaced at the taste of bile in her mouth. Tears were forming in her (_still intact_) eyes and threatened to mix with the droplets that fell with renewed intensity. Hinata's extreme sensitivity plus an overly active brain resulted in a stinging pain behind her eyes, as she couldn't stop herself from imagining the agony the boy in front of her was experiencing. If Hinata needed proof of the fact that she is truly a strong girl, she only needed to notice that she was still conscious and not emptying her stomach on the street.

A single word escaped her mouth. That was the best and the worst thing she could have done.

"Na…ru……to……"

She remembered the boy's name. It was one of those little facts that are shelved in the most recondite depths of the human brain, forgotten until they're suddenly needed.

Once again, Naruto's prodigious hearing did its job, particularly augmented by the sudden loss of the most important of the five senses. Naruto heard his name, a faint whisper within the furious cacophony. He liked rainy days a lot, but enjoying that particularly rainy night was proving to be quite the challenge.

Ignoring the rain, Naruto slowly moved his head to where he figured the source of the voice was. He had recognized it as a girl's, but he couldn't place a name on it if his life depended on it (curiously enough, that might just be the case). This is to be expected, since he had yet to meet Hyuuga Hinata, the very same Hinata who gasped when Naruto's bloody, lifeless orbs "stared" at her. It took her an instant to remember he couldn't see her, but that only made her feel worse.

Out of some feeling of respect towards Naruto, Hinata refused to look away, as if somehow he could tell. Naruto didn't move. He knew there was a girl in front of him, but there wasn't much he could do with that information. He guessed she was probably pretty grossed out; he (correctly) guessed he looked hideous. But there was one thing he was completely certain of.

That girl couldn't help him.

However, he was surprised to realize it didn't matter anymore. He was too tired to be desperate, too aching to be sad. Uzumaki Naruto was never an ordinary kid, so it doesn't come as a surprise that he has a different mindset.

Truly, in death, he would find peace.

So, for that reason, he did the only thing he could do. There was no hope for him, so, for that girl, he would shed his mask one last time.

Hyuuga Hiashi only blinked. Having been left speechless, he allowed his daughter to be emotional for the two of them.

Hinata's eyes widened, and she felt her tiny, fragile infant heart crack and shatter in millions of pieces.

Naruto had smiled. And his smile said it all.

"_It's alright…………"_

Naruto was smiling for her. He was trying to calm her down, to soothe her nerves and blow away her fear. He was crossing the boundary of life and death, yet he took his time to comfort little scared Hinata.

Something died within Hinata in that moment, and she (as well as her father, but she wouldn't know that) knew something had changed within her, forever. She wouldn't be the same person after that night. She didn't know exactly what had changed or the nature of this change, but she could feel it.

Uzumaki Naruto, in the brink of death, had done an immense favor to the Hyuuga Clan.

Maybe that certainty was the trigger for Hiashi to react. Maybe somewhere in the deepest back alleys of his cunning mind, his conscience told him Uzumaki Naruto was way more useful alive than dead. Or maybe he was just too appalled by the sight of the agonizing vessel of the Nine Tails.

A swift hand gesture later, one of his bodyguards (a Branch Family chuunin) appeared behind the Clan Head. "Hiashi-sama."

"Take Hinata to the house immediately, and do not leave her until she's in her bedroom." Hiashi barked swiftly, mildly amused by the way Naruto sought him by the sound of his voice. The kid was a fighter; that he was willing to admit.

"Immediately. Hinata-sama."

Hinata didn't even had time to complain before the chuunin gently picked her up and swiftly disappeared, carrying her away to the comfort and safety of her house. Hiashi was left alone with Naruto. Of course, there were three more bodyguards out of sight, but Naruto had no way to know that.

"The Third will want to know of this." Hiashi said to no one, but he knew one of three bodyguards was already gone to find the Third Hokage.

Lowering his body as well as the umbrella (he reminded himself to make sure Hinata hadn't caught a cold), Hiashi inched closer to Naruto, surprised to see that the boy figured out his position and faced him directly, despite being unable to look at him.

"………you'll have a debt with me if you make it out of this………Uzumaki Naruto."

Much to his surprise, Naruto's face contorted into a smile. It wasn't the same smile he offered to Hinata. This one was almost……mischievous.

Hiashi didn't notice, but his lips contorted into something remotely resembling a smile. Until that moment, he had decided to aid Naruto for fear of the consequences of his death. However, with much surprise, he realized he wanted that boy to live.

Heaven knows why.

Carefully picking up Naruto's body (and becoming awfully aware of his malnutrition), Hiashi sped up towards the hospital.

* * *

Hinata was unable to sleep. She had been thinking about Naruto, replaying the few memories she had of the boy from the few occasions she had seen him from a distance. Unfortunately, these faint memories were always replaced by the horrendous sight she had witnessed that night. Only when in the comfort of her bed had she fully understood the magnitude of what she had seen.

She had remembered his eyes. Those impossibly blue eyes, glimmering with so many different emotions. Her eyes, in all their superiority, felt dull and lifeless when compared to the brilliant spark of Naruto's cerulean orbs. His eyes brimmed with energy and enthusiasm she wished she had. She knew Uzumaki Naruto was an orphan. She couldn't understand how someone who had so little, someone whose life was stained with suffering beyond anything she could have imagined, could be so _**alive**_.

Yes, she remembered those eyes, and she had painfully realized those wonderful eyes might be lost forever.

In her six-year-old mind, that was the greatest tragedy of all.

* * *

**Author's Note: **there it is, my Naruto one-shot.

If you ask me, I don't have the slightest idea why I wrote this. The idea's been lingering in my mind for a while, and it wouldn't let me be at ease until I materialized it. I hope you found it an interesting read. Writing this was a lot harder than I thought. However, I definitely like how it turned out. While this is supposed to be a one-shot, it could be used as the beginning of something much greater……

Only recently did I start reading Naruto fanfiction, and I was pleased to find many very good stories. I think I said this before, but Naruto is definitely a fanfiction writer's wet dream.

Well, in any case, I'd be very grateful if you readers shared your opinion of this little piece. I want to know if I did things remotely close to "well." Thanks in advance to all the readers and reviewers.

Daneel Rush


	2. Lost Blue Eyes: Midnight

**Comments**Okay, I have no idea why I'm writing this. I feel this entire thing is a mistake. I'm almost a hundred percent sure nobody will like this. But I just started writing and before I noticed I had more than twenty pages. I ended up writing thirty. I blame the exaggerated amount of great Naruto fanfiction I've read lately and the fact that less and less people are reading GOSPEL. No, I'm not dropping GOSPEL. I guessed I might as well post this and check for a response. If for some unusual alignment of planets this gets a decent response, I might end up devoting more attention to this rather than Digimon fanfiction. I certainly wouldn't mind; I'm growing quite fond of Naruto fanfiction.

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Naruto. The sole idea is hilarious and almost insulting. Really, with the train wreck that is Part 2………anyway, the idea and the original storyline belongs to Kishimoto Masashi. Crazy guy, that Kishimoto.

* * *

It was a cool, rainy night. The relentless staccato of thousands, millions, of raindrops provided an appropriate, if easily dismissed, company. Sheltered from the howling wind and the raging thunder as they were, the two old geezers wondered how people could be outdoors under that inclement weather.

They blamed alcohol.

On the other side, the two old men, reveling in the feeling of warm sake in their mouths, their comfy seats and the warm temperature of the office, felt right in their element. As if sharing a single mind, the two men finished their tiny cups of the warm liquor with a single gulp and released content sighs as they felt the sake doing its magic down their throats.

The most respected ninja in the Hidden Village of the Leaf and probably all five Elemental Countries, the Third Hokage, gently put the small white cup on the large desk in front of him before looking at his guest. The other man returned the look with the gentle yet cold and calculating smile Sarutobi was well accustomed to. He tried to remember how long had it been since the last time he had seen the other man. At least three months. His guest looked exactly as the last time Sarutobi had seen him. As unchanging as a mountain, the Hokage would think. No matter how far backwards in his memories he went, the other man's appearance didn't change in the slightest. Ten years back, twenty-five, forty………not even his first memory of the man, back when he was just a toddler. He vaguely remembered the man, mauve-gray eyes looking down at him accompanied by a smile that was impossible to read.

Sarutobi obviously knew of ninja who masked their actual age by less-than-ordinary means. He didn't have to think too hard to remember his moody and very endow……talented female student, Tsunade of the Sannin. Of course, Sarutobi was also aware that the circumstances of the man in front of him were quite different from Tsunade's. Besides, Houraisan Shiki was much older than Tsunade. Much older than Sarutobi himself, in fact. Only Houraisan Shiki knew Houraisan Shiki's age.

"I like it when my wife stares at me like that, but you're just scaring me, Saru."

Okay, him and his wife.

The Third Hokage scowled. "Quiet, you."

"Scowling is not an acceptable expression coming from a Hokage. I can't imagine the council's reaction to such a sight, or its effects in the village's morale."

Houraisan Shiki has a very……difficult sense of humor. That Sarutobi knew decades ago.

But, truly, the Hokage was amazed by Shiki's youthful appearance. It was as if his aging had stuck on the "15 years old" mark and refused to move on. However, there were a few odd details here and there. His short black hair lacked luster and it was obvious that Shiki didn't comb it as often as he should. He could also see a few white hairs here and there. His skin was sickly pale and showed that Shiki either spent too much time indoors or his body was simply incapable of producing the necessary melanin to give his skin a healthier tone. For a man who had taken the path of "eternal" youth, he didn't seem to be very mindful of his appearance.

Even his clothes were the same. Apparently, Houraisan Shiki only possessed one single set of clothes. Sarutobi could close his eyes and his mind would easily visualize the outfit with remarkable detail. He easily remembered the combination of dark blue long cheongsam (which apparently is the Houraisan family's trademark choice of clothing) with Shiki's very own version of the standard Konohagakure Chuunin vest. He remembered the knot buttons arrayed at the cheongsam's right side and the two tall side slits that allowed Shiki to reach his two leg holsters wrapped around the black pants he always wore. He remembered Shiki's vest only had patches for scrolls on the right side, but the amount of those was ridiculous, as if to make up for it. In fact, it seemed as if the male named Shiki carried nothing but paper. The two leg holsters (one per leg) where shinobi normally store kunai and shuriken were full with what at first glance seemed like prayer strips. On the left side of his jacket, instead of the scroll patches, there was a wide, white vertical band that traveled all the way from the shoulder to the waist. On this band there was a pattern of solid and broken black lines. More precisely, there were three broken horizontal lines, a gap, and three solid horizontal lines: trigrams. If Sarutobi remembered correctly, the three broken lines were the **field **trigram, and the three solid lines were the **force** trigram.

However, Sarutobi had to admit, there was a good reason for Shiki's clothing's utter lack of variation; a reason he had come to understand and acknowledge after knowing the ever-young man for decades; the same reason Houraisan Shiki's name was known throughout the Elemental Countries, the same reason there was a page dedicated to him in the Bingo Book despite not being a particularly spectacular shinobi. As a matter of fact, in the strictest sense of the word, Houraisan Shiki isn't even a shinobi.

"Seriously, old monkey, you're scaring me."

The Hokage snorted and looked back at the always-growing, never-disappearing stack of papers that littered his ridiculously large desk.

The ravages of age weighted heavily on him, especially on that day. He had to leave the festival grounds when tiredness conquered him (the rain had nothing to do with it. Nothing at all.). His old, tired body wasn't fond of large, noisy crowds, not anymore. Hence, he had returned to the relative calm of his office, where he could lose himself in his thoughts. For a while, at least until the following day, he wasn't Sandaime Hokage. He was just a tired old man lost in his memories. The sounds of the harsh rain outside made for a depressing yet welcomed company.

The celebrations weren't something out of the ordinary. It was just like any other festival in any other town. In that aspect, the Hidden Village of the Leaf wasn't any different from any other town. Stands of food, games and things to buy stood all over the place. Children ran and played ninja wearing fake ANBU masks. Adults shared stories, laughed merrily, ate traditional foods and drowned in alcohol. The village's security was frighteningly lax on that day, but not even the Hokage could deny his shinobi the chance to enjoy what might be Konoha's most notorious holiday. Not even the celebration of Konoha's foundation incited such revelry from his fellow villagers.

So, he decided to deal with some paperwork before going to bed. However, working had proven impossible when the memories of many years of tragedies, bloodshed, mistakes and failures muddled his mind. The rain lost its soothing appeal when it reminded him of the state of his mind. Shiki's arrival had been a welcomed change, especially when the _**non-nin**_ (a ridiculous title Jiraiya had conceived way back when he was a Genin) offered a bottle of high-quality sake.

However, he felt the need to return to his work. He was painfully aware that, should he not do so, the pile would grow to twice its current size by sunrise. When he picked the top page on the pile, Shiki offered him a look of false pity.

"Ah, paperwork……the bane and torture of political leaders everywhere. I do not envy you, Hokage-sama."

"If you aren't going to help then please don't be a bother, _**Houraisan-sama**_." Sarutobi barked, mentally wondering why he was acting like such a child. It was unsightly……and unusual, coming from him. Even the tone he had used to address his guest reeked of childish spite.

Shiki took half a minute to calmly finish his sake before speaking again. "I'll help."

The Hokage's hand that held his good old faithful stamp froze in the air, denying the small object its divine right to seal its fifty-thousandth paper.

"Wha…what did you say?"

Shiki stood off his ample and comfortable seat to stand next to the Hokage, randomly grabbing another paper from the top of the pile and studying it with an uninterested gray eye. "I said I'll help……that is, if there's something I can do."

Both Hokage and Houraisan knew the answer to that. Sarutobi would have loved to have Shiki in Konoha's Council, if only for his intelligence and his loyalty. The old Hokage's wrinkled face contorted into a smile as his left hand patted Shiki's back.

"You are a good friend, Shiki."

Shiki raised an eyebrow. "I insist, Saru: I'm married. Been married for a long time."

Sarutobi moved his hand away, as if flinching after touching hot coals. "Be quiet."

So, they worked in a relatively quiet demeanor for at least half an hour. Sarutobi couldn't help but be pleased with the fast pace at which they progressed, yet another testament of his temporary assistant's intellect and efficiency. It reminded the old Hokage of just why he appreciated Shiki's friendship and how much he respected the famous "non-nin" (he had to admit, the name kinda stuck). Shiki's company brought him fond memories of his younger days, when the two would spend hours together talking about their favorite and obligatory topic of discussion whenever they met: jutsus. Shiki would show him a jutsu, and they would debate jutsu theory and the intricacies of chakra manipulation until their voices, minds and bodies succumbed to exhaustion. A few days later, Sarutobi would show how far he had progressed with the jutsu, and he'd then follow with a lengthy discussion on possible modifications, improvements and applications of the technique. Sarutobi had taught Shiki as many jutsus as Shiki had taught him.

Shiki was having similar thoughts. The Third Hokage was one of the very few people he actually admired. The amount of jutsus the legendary "Professor" had accumulated in his lifetime was simply astounding. Not just that: Sarutobi fully **mastered** each and every single of his techniques. He had adapted each and every single jutsu he learned into a strict, complex and utterly effective combat style; an amalgam of Taijutsu, Genjutsu and Ninjutsu that became the bane and terror of young and old shinobi everywhere. He truly **understood** the subtle complexities of molding, shaping and manipulating chakra; a knowledge the awfully convenient Sharingan cannot match. The Third had become a walking encyclopedia of Ninjutsu through sweat, blood, tears and an unyielding determination, and Houraisan Shiki had been witness to it all.

That's why Shiki admired him; for that and many more reasons. That's why it pained him to see the Hokage's tired expression that night. Shiki knew that, while Sarutobi's mind might be focused on the paperwork, his heart and soul were lost.

"So, it's been seven years."

"……yes……" The old Hokage responded, his voice barely above a whisper.

"………the memories of that night still make me shiver." It wasn't a lie. Shiki had almost lost everything that was dear to him……as well as his life. Or, at least, the fake mockery of existence he called "life."

"Welcome to the club." Sarutobi muttered bitterly.

"………you keep blaming yourself………" It wasn't a question. It was a pathetic truth, and Shiki's voice reflected his disagreement and disappointment. However, the unsettling weight of their uncomfortable silence was slashed apart by Sarutobi's hand slamming the desk.

"Damn it, Shiki, it should have been ME!!!" The Third Hokage roared.

Shiki's calmness clashed with the turmoil of emotions that swirled flared within the Hokage. His small, dark, bead-like eyes flickered with a flame neither Shiki nor anyone else had seen in him for quite a while. It was truly a shame the flame was returning for all the wrong reasons. Hence, Shiki tried to appeal to the Hokage by the means of his favorite (if rarely useful in these situations) weapon: logic.

"You know that was simply impossible. The _**Hakke no Fuuin Shiki**_ was developed basically on the run. We were lucky we actually managed to come up with the stable lattice frame combination with _**Shishou Fuuin**_ (Four Symbols Seal) to imprison the Nine-Tails. There wasn't time to teach the complete sealing procedure to anyone else. Besides, seven years ago you were already too old. You wouldn't have been able to pull it off. And you know I couldn't do it, either. Jiraiya? I'm not sure."

"Your bland reminders of my uselessness are the last thing I need right now." Sarutobi growled, the exact same tone he had used so many decades before to complain when his two mentors trained –no, grinded him– to the brink of chakra depletion and muscular paralysis.

"The truth hurts. Live with it………it had to be done."

It was Sarutobi's turn for his eyes to narrow. "You tell me the exact same words every year."

"Maybe because it pisses me off, watching how you let some unfounded guilt consume your life."

The Hokage hastily finished the few drops of sake he had left forgotten for too long and dropped his cup on the desk rather harshly. Shiki winced, wondering if he would have to replace it.

"Is that why you came here? Because, in that case, Shiki……"

"You think I came here out of pity, Saru? I thought you knew me better than that."

Sarutobi scowled. "Bastard."

Shiki sat on the sturdy desk, looking down at Sarutobi with his usual neutral gaze. The Hokage released a deep, tired sigh, and returned the document he had been holding back to the "To Do" pile. No matter how much he wanted to, he knew he wouldn't be able to get any more work done. Not that night.

"He……he was great."

It didn't take a great intellect to infer who Sarutobi was talking about. "He was Jiraiya's student. And I did teach him a thing or two. So did you, if I'm not mistaken. He was a great shinobi."

"He died protecting the village. He gave his very soul to save the people and the home he loved. His honor and selflessness was admirable."

"While honor and selflessness aren't virtues I particularly approve of in a ninja…" Shiki declared. "……as an excellent human being, he is worthy of our respect and admiration."

"Konoha needs a leader like him."

"You are a good leader, Saru."

"I **was** a good leader, Shiki. I was forged and tempered in war, and at the time I'm proud to say I did a damn fine job. But my time has passed, and don't you dare say otherwise!"

Shiki remained silent, and Sarutobi felt the awkward need to explain his reasoning.

"My body's tired. I move too much; my bones ache. I stay seated for hours; my bones ache just the same. My mind's not as lucid as it was. My reflexes are lacking. I can't hate myself for it, I know it's normal. I'm surprised I've made it to my sixty-third year."

"Shiki, I don't want to be here anymore."

Among the great five Hidden Villages, the Sandaime Hokage was the Kage who had wielded the title the longest. Shiki couldn't blame Sarutobi for being tired of the job. Being Kage is far from an easy position. He could understand Sarutobi being tired of the tension, the intrigue, the deaths, the relentless strife and the never-ending, ever-lurking threats from every direction, both inside and outside Konoha. However……

"But……" Shiki murmured.

"But I know there's nobody around who could replace me……actually, there is, but he'll get this seat over my dead body." The Hokage declared, slamming his right fist against the desk for emphasis.

Shiki snorted. He had a very good idea who Sarutobi was talking about. But the old "Professor" wasn't done.

"……and the one thing I should I have done right……I still don't know what I should have done."

"…I take it we're talking about Uzumaki Naruto."

Dark brown eyes met mauve, and it was as if the world around them reflected their age. Sarutobi Sandaime Hokage had never looked so old.

"I couldn't…………give him the life he deserves."

"You and me neither, Saru. But you know that isn't your fault either."

"I can tell them what to do, but I cannot shape their feelings, right?" Sarutobi concluded, the same conclusion he had used for the last seven years in a sad attempt at finding relief.

Shiki only nodded. "You should be grateful you have loyal shinobi and kunoichi."

"I am, Shiki, I really am."

The two men sighed together, raised an eyebrow together and chuckled together when they realized they were acting like old ladies. It didn't last long, though; the emotions that weighted in the Hokage's heart made that impossible.

Their expressions slowly shifted to half-grins, and Shiki refilled their cups with more warm sake.

"So, old monkey……how is he?"

"Who?"

Shiki scowled. "Who do you think?"

"Naruto?"

"Do I care about anyone else in this stupid village of yours?"

"What about the Hyuugas?"

"………those are different circumstances. So, how is he?"

Sarutobi let a sip of warm sake run down his throat before replying. "Same as always, I guess……did I tell you he moved out of the orphanage?"

"Really……" Shiki closed his eyes, reveling in the sweet taste of sake. He'd never get tired of it. Never. "………no reaction? Nothing worthy of note regarding………"

"Not at all. Other than the minor physical features you already know about, he's growing like an ordinary child."

"Yet he lives as Konoha's scapegoat."

An uncomfortable silence followed. The torrential downpour made for an interesting background theme. It would be a cool, comfortable night, if a bit tempered in water. Konoha's muddy streets would be impossible nuisances the next day. Shiki had a pretty good idea of what went through Sarutobi's head, so he wisely chose to leave the old Hokage to his depressing musings. He was in no hurry; he'd wait until Sarutobi chose to speak again. And eventually he did.

"How's your wife?"

Shiki acknowledged the abrupt change of topic with a cold smile. "I think she's working on a new scroll."

"Another one?"

Shiki shrugged. "Someone has to."

Sarutobi chuckled bitterly. Why was it that everything triggered a sad memory that day? "I'll look forward to it, I guess."

Their musings were interrupted by the familiar sound associated with the use of _**Shunshin no Jutsu**_. There was someone behind the office's door and, whoever it was, it was in a hurry. A knock on the door and a word from Sarutobi later, a young man dressed in the standard Chuunin uniform entered the room with lots of noise and little fanfare.

"Hokage-sama!" The Hyuuga Chuunin's white-lavender eyes easily caught notice of the second presence in the room, recognizing Houraisan Shiki immediately. Only the youngest among the revered clan wouldn't recognize Houraisan Shiki at a glance. However, the Chuunin was well trained, and the distraction provoked by Shiki's presence lasted but an instant.

"Hokage-sama. Hyuuga Hiashi-sama has requested that you be informed of an assassination attempt on Uzumaki Naruto."

Ninja are trained to conceal their emotions, never letting them stand in the way of their objectives. They have enough obstacles as it is. Shiki beat Sarutobi this time: his only reaction was the twitching of his right eye. The way the Third Hokage slammed his hands on the desk, added to the silent warning glance aimed at the unfortunate messenger, cued the Hyuuga nin to describe what he had seen. Once again, the Chuunin showed he had been properly trained. He had to use the least amount of words possible (time is of the essence in the ninja business), but he also carefully measured each and every single one of his words. Everyone knew of Sandaime's feelings towards the Demon Vessel. Incorrect wording on his part would put him and the Hyuuga Clan in a very bad position in front of the most important ninja in Konoha. Having Houraisan Shiki of all people as witness would only make things worse.

"Hiashi-sama is carrying Uzumaki-san to the hospital as we speak." The Chuunin couldn't restrain from releasing a long sigh once he was done. He wasn't used to those kinds of situations.

Sarutobi and Shiki shared a glance. "The hospital……" The latter murmured, and the Hokage easily interpreted his expression. The hospital wasn't the best place for Naruto, especially not that night.

"Any better ideas?"

Shiki raised an eyebrow, eyeing Sarutobi as if he had said the stupidest thing. The Sandaime easily caught the gesture.

"You think she'll do it?"

"She **has** to." Shiki declared. "Call your ANBU; tell them to escort Hiashi-kun. Who's in charge tonight?"

"Itachi."

Shiki made a grimace, as if he had just tasted something awful. "Ugh……whatever, just……just call him, I guess."

The Third Hokage made a sequence of three hand seals, followed by very quiet whispering. Shiki recognized the seals as _**Sasayaku Kaze no Jutsu**_, a Fuuton jutsu that allows one-way communication over relatively long distances. With the advent of wireless communication technology, the use of that jutsu had declined notoriously, to the point that few shinobi even bothered learning it anymore. However, Sarutobi was aware that there were few select occasions when _**Sasayaku Kaze**_ was clearly more useful than its technological equivalent.

"I have instructed Itachi-kun to intercept Hiashi and take him and Naruto to Training Area 69." The Hokage declared after a few seconds.

In every official record, Training Area 69 was declared to be the ruling Hokage's private training grounds (a flawed description by itself, considering the fact that a Hokage rarely has time to do any training), and as such labeled as off-limits to anyone but the highest-ranked shinobi of Konohagakure no Sato. Only a few selected high-ranked individuals in the Hidden Village were aware that Training Area 69 was, in fact, the Houraisan Family Grounds (another flawed statement, as it's rather pretentious to call the two sole inhabitants of the Houraisan residence a "family").

The fire in Sarutobi's eyes flickered in a furious if short-lived flare. For a split instant, Shiki saw a pale shadow of the one who had been named the "God of Shinobi."

"How did that happen………?" Sarutobi asked, more to himself than to anyone else.

It was a very good question, actually. Naruto wasn't liked by the citizens of Konoha. That was a fact. Most Konoha ninja, even those who hated Naruto, were smart enough not to act against him, aware as they were of the Hokage's feelings towards the boy. While most of the ninja saw Naruto as an ordinary kid (with a terrifyingly powerful demon sealed within him), those who disliked him didn't do more than the occasional hateful glare and harsh words.

The citizenship was a bit more direct. The hatred of those who had fought the Nine-Tails and their families couldn't compare with the hatred of those who, unable to protect their city, their lifestyle and their loved ones, wordlessly and hopelessly watched how the mighty demon fox sowed destruction in its wake and killed those they held dear. When the truth about the Kyuubi's defeat and sealing was revealed, the citizens of Konoha had claimed for the newborn Uzumaki Naruto's death. When it became clear it was not going to happen, they attempted to claim justice with their own hands. When it appeared that the baby had the protection of the Sandaime Hokage and more than one important family –namely the Inuzukas and the (mildly reluctant) Hyuugas–, they relied on the next best alternative.

Hating Uzumaki Naruto with a passion.

While most didn't do more than ignore and avoid the kid, flinching, glaring, cursing and spitting the ground in his presence, some acted a bit more aggressively, basically bullying him in a way remarkably similar to what someone would expect in a civilian school. Everything within the boundaries of non-outright violence; the last thing they needed was getting in trouble with the authorities because they went too far abusing the "Demon Brat." Merchants acted as if Uzumaki Naruto didn't exist, ignoring him until he gave up and disappeared, or using some half-assed excuse to deny him their services (they had the right to do so, after all). Some had thrown rocks at him; those were quickly dealt with by both ANBU and the Military Police (some members of the Uchiha Corps were prone to paying little attention to aggressions towards Uzumaki Naruto, though). In two separate occasions shuriken and kunai had been thrown at him; both cases involved inebriated civilians who had somehow gotten their hands on ninja weapons.

In conclusion, outright violence aimed at Uzumaki Naruto was scarce, if nigh inexistent. The occasional assassination attempt was rooted out and contained before it even came to fruition.

Yet someone had somehow succeeded. Sarutobi knew he couldn't keep an eye on Naruto 24/7. The sole idea was fundamentally impossible. He couldn't waste resources (namely, his valuable ninja) to bodyguard a child, regardless of the child's……importance. He tried to have the ANBU watch over Naruto as often as possible, but, then again, constant supervision couldn't be afforded.

It was a tragedy, but, Sarutobi correctly guessed, it wasn't really that surprising. The aftermath of the Kyuubi's attack and the subsequent life of one Uzumaki Naruto had showed him that Konoha wasn't exactly the haven of peace, tolerance and respect he had hoped it would be. He had been painfully reminded that, beyond anything else, Konoha was a **ninja village**. In a way, they were as ruthless as their allies and enemies.

No, Sarutobi wasn't surprised. He was furious, though.

"I knew it would be a long night……" The old Hokage concluded before turning to Shiki. "Help me with this."

"I'm already doing it, but, you know………I'm not one of your loyal shinobi."

Sandaime growled and cursed under his breath. "………B-Rank mission payment **only** if **you **find the criminal."

Shiki's smiled never reached his eyes. "It's an honor and an immense pleasure, being your friend, old monkey." His words were followed by drawing blood off his tongue and a familiar sequence of hand seals.

"_**Kuchiyose no Jutsu**_."

Two identical and relatively small puffs of smoke revealed the appearance of Shiki's faithful companions. A black spot swiftly lunged at Shiki, climbing until it rested with its head and front paws over his right shoulder, and its back legs and rump supported under Shiki's right arm. Two identical black tails wagged happily from side to side. For the first time that evening, Shiki revealed an honest-to-God warm smile.

"Sorry, no time for playing right now, Chen."

He looked down at the second two-tailed black cat, who returned the look with an eager expression.

"Shin, dear, this kind Hyuuga lad will take you to the scene of an assassination attempt on Uzumaki Naruto."

The cat's eyes narrowed. "Is he……?"

"He's alive. Please revise the scene and find any clues and trails that would lead to the attacker."

"Aye, aye, Shiki-sama!"

"That goes to you, too, Chen."

The cuddly cat only purred and rubbed her face against Shiki's right cheek.

"Hyuuga……Sendai, right?"

The Chuunin blinked in utmost surprise. Houraisan Shiki was proud to know the name of every single Hyuuga.

"Please guide Shin-chan and Chen-chan to where Naruto-kun was found."

Sendai blinked and shot an uneasy glance at the Hokage, who nodded briskly. "Yes, sir."

Despite his reputation, Shiki had no authority over Konoha shinobi……or any shinobi, for that matter.

The Chuunin and the two two-tailed cats gone in a burst of speed, the two old men looked at each other.

"Saru-"

"Don't say it. Don't say it's not my fault. Let's just go……I have work to do."

It took Shiki a few seconds to follow the Hokage after he disappeared, wondering if maybe, just maybe, something good could come out of this whole ordeal.

The furious flicker of the old Hokage's eyes was a good sign.

* * *

Houraisan Saya knew that, when her days in the world reached an end, she would be remembered for many things.

She knew she would be remembered for being the person who took some loose advanced notions of chakra control, added incomplete knowledge of anatomy and physiology, worked around these concepts, completed what needed to be completed, and created a whole new art. Sure, her apprentice Tsunade had taken that art, broken all its boundaries and driven it to levels of expertise beyond Saya's wildest imagination, but she still had the honor of being the Mother of Medical Ninjutsu. Tsunade might have surpassed her a long time ago, but that doesn't make her any less skilled.

She would also be remembered for the nickname everyone used for her. Just like her husband was _**Hyakuman Fuuin no Shiki**_, Shiki of the Million Seals, she was _**Chiyu Egao no Saya**_.

Saya of the Healing Smile.

She didn't really care about nicknames, but it surprised her that her nickname was related to her medical developments. Her conception of medical Ninjutsu had been a minor project that suddenly became something immense. She would never admit it, but it had also been sort of an accident. In any case, medical Ninjutsu wasn't really her main interest among the ninja arts. She was the most prolific writer of treatises on the topic, though, but that's because Sarutobi's lazy, alcoholic, gambling-addicted student wouldn't bother. Tsunade had so many more things to write about, so much more knowledge to share with the world, but noooooo……Saya's medical scrolls had to suffice, while medic nins everywhere could only dream of the day the great Tsunade bothered to share her unmatched expertise with someone, **anyone**.

There were rumors she had an apprentice, though. But Tsunade was the kind of once-in-a-lifetime talent that should share her incredible gift with the whole world.

When Saya asked why her nickname wasn't related to what she was **really good** at, the world complied and gave her another nickname. _**Taijutsu no Amatsukami**_: the Heavenly Goddess of Taijutsu.

Taijutsu was her hobby, her passion, her obsession, closely followed by her addiction to strawberries and her love of plants and flowers in general. As such, she was proud to claim she was one of the greatest Taijutsu Masters of the world, if not the greatest. Of course, her Genjutsu was just below average (that's what she gets for being a Genjutsu specialist yet never working on that) and her Ninjutsu was reduced to techniques that reinforced or complemented her Taijutsu styles. She knew absolutely nothing about seals (that was her husband's job, after all), but she was pretty decent with weapons. Not as good as she'd have liked to be, but she preferred her bare hands and feet, after all.

Yes, she didn't really care about nicknames, but she had to admit that she got lucky on the nickname department. Her nicknames were passable, at least when compared to "Slug Princess," "Legendary Sucker," "Super Pervert" or "Toad Hermit." She wondered if that was the reason Orochimaru didn't have nicknames other than "Snake Sannin." Sure, she had heard people addressing Orochimaru in other ways, but those weren't really nicknames; more like very, very nasty insults.

She'd also be remembered by the names that were directly associated with her: the names of those who had been inspired or aided by her teachings, famous shinobi who had in turn made names for themselves. Tsunade was by far the most famous name, as well as one of the most recent. Few people knew that the Nidaime Raikage had been her apprentice. Chiyo and Ebizo of the Sand had also learned a thing or two from her. She aided the Third Kazekage in developing a Taijutsu style he cold use in combination with his Iron Sand. She had helped in the development of the Hyuuga Clan's _**Jyuuken **_style (which is kind of funny, considering she can't use Jyuuken herself) and she introduced Maito Gai to the Eight Celestial Gates.

She had absolutely nothing to do with his……unique……personality. Really.

Truth be told, Saya loved teaching. Unfortunately, the problem resided in finding people worthy of her instruction.

Yes, Houraisan Saya would be remembered for many things. In anybody bothered to ask her, though, she would say she only wanted to be remembered for one single thing: being a loving and devoted wife. It was one of those little facts about her that nobody knew or even cared to know anymore, just like her maiden name being Haruno. Of course, it had been a VERY LONG time since she had last used that family name.

Shiki was the one thing she loved more than strawberries and Taijutsu. Lots more. He was her driving force, the stimulus that made her grow into a warrior strong enough to wipe the floor with any shinobi and kunoichi under Kage level. She was his partner, companion, bodyguard, wife and soul mate; the only person who could understand her, just like she was the only person who could understand him. He was the person who kept her mind from succumbing to the endless abyss of dementia.

Even then, so late at night, she sat calmly on the wooden planks on the entrance of their small house (which, as she always painfully remembered, was strikingly similar to the Hyuuga residence), waiting for her husband to return. She felt lonely and abandoned in the darkness, but she patiently waited with a cup of warm strawberry-flavored tea in her hands. It was her sin, paying outrageous sums of money to import the delicious refreshment from Snow Country. She mindlessly smoothed the wrinkles on her plain cerulean _yukata_; one of her many quirks and habits consequence of a mind ravaged by age. Then she caressed her cheeks with her right hand, to make sure her skin was still smooth and flawless, secretly afraid her appearance of a girl caught in eternal puberty would suddenly disappear and her true self would be revealed to the world. She knew that wasn't likely to happen, but her slightly demented psyche wouldn't let go of the idea, apparently forgetting that, should she suddenly change into a form more appropriate to her real age, she would become a pile of dust.

She had watched the fireworks from a distance. Her mind, prone to making wild turns and trailing through pointless thoughts for no apparent reason, reminded her of the Hyuuga family's second child, Hanabi.

Fireworks.

Then she remembered Hanabi's mother. And then her tea wasn't as tasty anymore.

"Fuck." She growled. An unusually strong gust of wind was the world's response, as if not approving of such a lovely and melodious voice using such a dirty word.

Trying to follow a different trail of thought, she remembered the reason Konoha celebrated that day. She still couldn't understand how anyone could celebrate that day. It was one of the things in her famous list "Reasons I Think the People of Konoha are Idiots." Sometimes she felt like going on a rampage in Konoha. She'd be able to wreak a lot of havoc before she was taken down. Unfortunately, such an action, beyond its blatant stupidity, was obviously against the rules, the same rules that prevented her from beating the crap out of any annoying ninja that stood in her way (Orochimaru came to mind……even if she wasn't sure she could actually defeat **Orochimaru** of all people). Besides, her husband always stopped her before her desire to do good deeds in an overly violent manner took over her. He often did it in very……pleasing……ways, so she didn't mind.

She still had a nasty scar on the left side of her chest, where the Nine-Tailed Demon Fox had clawed her and sent her flying for, like, two miles. She still thought it was a miracle she had survived that night. She guessed she owed it to her wonderful husband, and also to Hatake Kakashi and Maito Gai. She had been surprised when she realized the nasty wound would never heal completely, leaving a just-as-nasty scar. She guessed it was to be expected, given the properties of the damn Kitsune's chakra. Besides, the scar had its good side. For some reason she couldn't conceive (not that she gave a damn), the feel of Shiki's tongue trailing the blackened skin was **beyond fantastic**.

Saya had to squeeze her legs together and look for something else to think about. She was getting……dangerously excited.

So, she waited, patiently, for her husband's return. She knew exactly where he was: chatting with the Sandaime Hokage over a few cups of sake, remembering the old times and catching up on the latest events in Uzumaki Naruto's life. She would have joined the two old men, but she had felt like sitting down to quietly watch the rain and drink lots of strawberry-flavored tea. She made a mental note; she was running out of her precious. In all honesty, she was starting to regret staying in the house. There was a limit to how long she could stay doing absolutely nothing before going insane.

"Oh well." She said to herself. "I guess he will have to make up for it."

A notably demented smirk coated her face when she thought of what (she hoped) they would do when he returned. She was about to indulge in her (mildly) depraved fantasies when a tingle in her head alerted her. Someone had stepped within their barrier and rapidly approached. She had visitors. Of course, the huge barrier that surrounded the Houraisan Family Grounds wasn't meant to prevent access, only to warn the Houraisan couple of the intrusion. It didn't inform of the intruder's identity, so they had to be ready for anything. The barrier was only attuned to Shiki and Saya, so that they would know when the other was approaching home.

Unfortunately, the **Hakke Happō Fuuin Kekkai **hadn't recognized her husband's chakra signature, which meant her visitors were of the unexpected (and unwanted) sort.

"Fuck again." She growled. She closed her eyes, not even opening them when she heard the sound of four pairs of feet touching the grass twelve yards in front of her.

"My, my, if I had known I would have so many visitors, I'd have prepared more tea."

"Houraisan-sama." A stern adult voice took her by surprise. **That** person she didn't expect.

"Ara, Hiashi-kun!" She said as she opened her eyes. "What a pleasant sur-"

She never finished the sentence. She had seen the boy in Hiashi's arms. She had also noticed the two Branch Family bodyguards behind him and the raven-haired ANBU wearing a **fox** mask, of all things.

"Saya-sama, I-"

"I don't want to hear it. Follow me."

She stepped out of the porch; her clothes immediately drenched by the torrential downpour. In any other situation she'd have made a joke about the show she was offering to the four shinobi, but even she knew when to keep her loose mouth shut. Her mind, unfortunately, wasn't as easy to control. She found herself wondering why Hiashi always did that when addressing her. He called her by her last name the first time, and from then onwards he used her name, as if the first time were some sort of request for permission to call her "Saya-sama." It was curious. She also wondered why Itachi had picked a fox mask. She wondered if that was his twisted form of humor. While she didn't share her husband's open dislike of bloodline limits, she had to admit the genius Uchiha made her nervous. Anyone with the power to trap her in an illusion so easily was too troublesome to be relaxed around. Of course, she knew more than one way to fight against the damned sharingan, but those bloody crimson eyes were always a hassle that freaked her out.

The Houraisan Family Grounds consist of three houses and a greenhouse forming the four vertices of a rhombus. Between the four structures laid a main garden where Saya indulged in her hobby of raising seasonal crops. The forest clearing around the houses was littered with thousands of flowers of dozens of different kinds. Once again, Saya's idea. Beyond the flower field, only wilderness.

Saya guided the four Konoha shinobi to the rightmost building, which housed the dojo and Saya's personal study room. She entered the dojo and made a gesture for the men to follow her. She shot a glance at the blonde boy. He was unconscious. If it weren't for the mess he had become, Saya would think he was sleeping. She looked at the floor, and the muddy, wet trail their feet had left on **her **floor. She mouthed a third "fuck" before walking to the furthermost corner to their left. Itachi was the first to notice the unusual U-shaped handle on the wooden floor. Saya pulled it up and revealed a set of stairs that descended into unfathomable darkness. Before going down, Saya stated an order that left no room for questions.

"Your bodyguards stay here, Hiashi."

Saya might not be a Konoha shinobi. Like her husband, she had no authority over Konoha shinobi. However, in **her** house, her word was **law**.

Hiashi knew Saya enough to even think of saying no. He used Hyuuga Main Family Silent Gesture # 6, _"What she said,"_ and the two well-trained bodyguards disappeared. Saya nodded. "Hiashi-kun, Weasel-kun." She said before disappearing in the darkness.

Itachi didn't even flinch at the way he was addressed. It was another reason Saya was edgy around the thirteen-years-old Uchiha. Most of the time he didn't seem to have a sense of humor………or a personality.

Hiashi was a bit disturbed. In all the times he had visited the Houraisan couple, he had never been informed of the existence of this secret passage. He was painfully reminded of the many evenings he and his late wife spent with Saya and Shiki, chatting and laughing over sake, dango and strawberry tea. He also realized he hadn't visited the Houraisan residence since his wife's death.

The two bloodline limit wielders cautiously walked down the stairs. Even their notable _doujutsus_ only helped in the darkness to a point. In fact, Hiashi hadn't even activated his white eyes. He did so as soon as he reached the bottom of the stairs, and the sight almost made him gasp.

They were in a narrow passage that extended deep into the treacherous darkness, narrow enough for two adults to have trouble walking shoulder to shoulder. The walls, floor and ceiling were made of wood. However, the amazing thing was the thin vein-like tubes that traveled within the wood that made the passage.

The entire place had a chakra circulatory system!

The amount of chakra flowing through the pathways was nigh inexistent, only enough for Hiashi's byakugan to detect its presence. Saya made the _tora _seal and slammed both hands on the walls. Hiashi watched in amazement how the walls absorbed a small amount of Saya's chakra. He saw how it flowed through the walls. He noticed the diminutive torch-like protrusions emerging from the walls and how they were connected to the chakra veins in the walls. When Saya's flowing chakra reached one of them, they release a warm, yellow flame that lightened the passage.

Saya returned Hiashi's amazed look with a child-like grin. Itachi, whose sharingan had only shown him the tiny burst of charka that preceded the appearance of the yellow flames, seemed just as impressed.

"Yeah, chakra-based illumination. We just cannot use oil or coal like normal people. We do it the neat way." She declared.

"How……?" That was the only word Hiashi managed to say. Saya turned her back to the males and began walking down the passage with a brisk pace.

"The three buildings were made by the First Hokage with his _Mokuton_ jutsus. He called them 'a token of his appreciation for our teachings and contributions to the foundation of Konohagakure no Sato'. I can't tell you anything more, because I don't really know the specific techniques he used."

Nothing more was said, mainly because there wasn't much time. The passage turned out to be a lot shorter than it had seemed at first glance. Saya opened a small wooden door at the end of the passage (Hiashi and Itachi read the two black kanji on a plaque nailed to the door: _Mugon_, "Silence"), and the three entered an exact copy of a waiting room, the kind of which you would find in a hospital anywhere. Saya hastily crossed the room to a double door (with another two kanji: _Kankai_, "Relief").

The final room was yet another thing that impressed and caught the interest of both Hiashi and Itachi. They noticed a pattern that had repeated itself on the walls ever since they had entered the initial passage. The walls, while wooden, didn't seem to be made of individual planks placed together to form a wall. These walls were one single large, smooth and flawless wooden surface. Same with the floor and the ceiling. Itachi quietly admitted that the First's bloodline limit was definitely a lot more useful than he had originally thought.

While both Hiashi and Itachi had had the misfortune to see rooms like this one before, it wasn't any less impressive. Every single square inch of the walls, ceiling and floor was covered with seals. In fact, the floor had one of the most complex circular arrays any of the two had ever seen. Another use of the tora seal and an infusion of Saya's chakra on the floor revealed sixteen small bluish flames in a circular formation that provided the room's only illumination.

It was a room intended for the most advanced medical procedures. Itachi was the first to notice a small drawer with thick scrolls, and a short desk next to it. A small squared cabinet with drawers rested on top of the desk. Saya opened the cabinet for a second, allowing Itachi to see the plethora of medical and surgical tools neatly stored and organized within.

"Hiashi, do I need to tell you what to do?"

Only then did Hiashi noticed that Saya had dropped the "-kun" at the end of his name. That meant she was serious, and not in a good mood. He gently placed Naruto's unconscious body on the center of the room, in the middle of the complex seal array. The blonde infant squirmed and shifted uncomfortably, as if he were having a bad dream.

"Alright, you two, out."

Saya didn't even give them time to complain. "I like my privacy. Besides, I felt my husband's presence approaching, and he's not alone. If I had to guess, I'd say Sandaime is with him, and I'm sure he has a LOT of questions for you. The two of you."

The Hyuuga and Uchiha's expression sharpened. They had just realized that their Hokage was probably in an even worse mood than Saya.

"Sit down in the Waiting Room, and think exactly what you're going to say." Saya advised before turning her back to them. Had anybody asked them, both Hiashi and Itachi would have agreed that such a youthful and lovely face shouldn't be capable of showing such a vicious expression.

Hiashi nodded and walked away silently. Itachi……'hnned' before following. He had figured out Saya was making fun of him. He wasn't used to that.

* * *

A Chuunin and two cats landed on an empty street. Hyuuga Sendai was surprised by the fact the two cats easily followed him as he trekked from roof to roof. Then again, those were summoned mystical creatures. He wouldn't be surprised if they were actually faster than him.

They were.

"You can leave us and go back to Hyuuga Hiashi." The one Shiki called Shin spoke, as if reading his mind. He had been about to comment that, as Hiashi's bodyguard, he needed to return to him.

"Are you sure?"

"Yes, yes, no problem. You know the way, don't you?"

The Chuunin nodded. He knew the way to Training Area 69. "Well then, I'm off."

"Thank you!!!" The other cat (_Chen, was it?_), which he had already identified as the perkiest of the two, exclaimed joyfully. Unlike her companion (_twin?_), she didn't seem to mind the rain.

"What she said." Shin muttered, and Sendai had to conceal a smile of amusement. He bowed (never in his life had he imagined he'd bow to a pair of cats) one last time and disappeared.

The quieter Shin spun around to look at her twin sister. "Oh, well, it's pointless to search for clues here. Anything we could have found has been washed away by the rain."

Chen smirked in the way only cats can. "Waaaay ahead of you, nee-chan." She said before sprinting to a dark alley a few yards away. The roofs of the neighboring houses offered some much desired shelter from the rain. The dark alley was fairly dry when compared with the streets beyond. Loud and thin columns of water fell violently on the ground, but most of the place remained dry, if a bit humid.

"The attack took place here." Chen declared with a smug tone. Shin raised an eyebrow in an un-feline gesture.

"Really? And how would you know that, miss great detective?"

"Umm, dunno, maybe because of the kunai over there?"

Shin felt like face-faulting. There was, indeed, a kunai lying on the ground like the most innocent of things. She moved closer, sniffing it and feeling it with her whiskers. It reeked of sweat. It reeked of blood. It reeked of Uzumaki Naruto.

"What kind of assassin leaves the killing weapon in the crime scene?" Shin muttered.

"Ummm……a really, really, REALLY crappy one?"

Shin walked away from the weapon and shook her body in an attempt to dry her soaking fur. She meditated on what Hyuuga Sendai had told them on the way there. "A civilian couldn't have done it. From what the Hyuuga kid said, the attack was just too savage."

"Unless it was a civilian with a few screws loose." Chen added her two cents. Shin growled. Her sister said the stupidest things……which made her feel worse when they actually made sense.

"Alright, so Option A is a psychotic civilian. Now let's assume a ninja did this, okay?"

"Okay!"

"……okaaaay, so what kind of ninja screws up so badly?"

"Ummm……a really, really-"

"Shut up. So, we're dealing with either the **worst **ninja **ever**, or something made our assassin-wannabe make such a pathetic mistake."

"So, what's the plan? No matter how sucky our ninja is, the rain got rid of any trails."

"There must be at least the beginning of a trail here. The rain doesn't reach here, so there must be at least a scent. We follow it until it disappears, and from then we made a spiraling sweeping of the surrounding areas. Given that our suspect has already made a mistake, we can only hope he makes a second one. And, if the attacker happens to be your psycho civilian, the easier for us to catch him."

"……………"

"………what now, Chen?"

"Why do you assume it's a man?"

Shin sighed. "It's a matter of simplicity, Chen. Besides, do you see a woman doing something that……brutal?"

It was Chen's turn to raise an eyebrow. "One word for you: Anko."

Shin meowed in annoyance. "Okay, so Anko could do it. But she has no reason to want to kill Uzumaki."

Chen rolled her eyes. "What if Orochimaru somehow made it inside Konoha unnoticed –it isn't that hard, anyway– and is controlling Anko through her Cursed Seal?"

"First; the Hokage and Shiki-sama suppressed that seal thing. Second: how in the Nibi's name do you come up with those ideas!?"

* * *

Saya didn't need to be told of what happened from Hiashi or anyone else. What she needed to know, she'd find out herself. She'd leave the rest to her husband, the Third Hokage and everyone else. Her role was simple: make sure Uzumaki Naruto recovered.

The first thing she had noticed was his eyes, of course. However, she needed to make sure there weren't other critical injuries of note. By the looks of it, it was a particularly savage assault.

"Fucking shit, the old monkey must be furious." Saya muttered to herself. She simply couldn't comprehend how someone could do something like that to a child, especially one who housed an incredibly powerful demon. She didn't know crap about seals, but she knew that unconscious kid with the cute whisker marks was no demon.

"Seriously, does Konoha have no common sense? They say he's the demon, yet they treat him like crap. Really, what the fuck!?"

Saya shook her head in an attempt to regain her focus. "Really, of all the way this night could be ruined……" She said as she prepared a simple diagnosis jutsu to locate internal wounds. She had been surprised to see that the skin of his chest was smooth and flawless, as if he hadn't just been stabbed with a kunai dozens of times. A quick scan of her torso only increased the number of questions. Most traces of piercing damage had completely disappeared. She gathered more chakra under her hand and increased her concentration. The result was the same. It was as if nothing had happened.

_No, wait……what is……_

Saya found minuscule tears on his lungs and heart, but nowhere near as critical as a kunai stab. In fact…… "What the hell?"

She dispelled her jutsu. She needed a different technique. She used a jutsu that allowed her to follow flows of chakra within a living body. It was no byakugan, but for diagnosis purposes it worked wonders.

_Oh, so that's how it is………_

It wasn't really the first time she worked on Jinchuuriki; demon vessels. A few years before, she had supervised the birth of Sunagakure's Jinchuuriki, at the request of her former apprentice, Chiyo. It wasn't really something she agreed with; the whole "sealing demons within human beings" thing, but a job was a job.

However, the boy in front of her had to be the most interesting patient she had ever dealt with. As a consequence, Saya's scientific side kicked in.

Saya had detected two different kinds of chakra at work within the child. She easily inferred the second chakra source was the Kyuubi's. She remembered the few details her husband had shared with her on the nature of the seal that imprisoned the Demon Fox within Uzumaki Naruto.

"The _**Hakke no Fuuin Shiki**_ allows for Kyuubi's chakra to mix with Naruto's. The seal works as a filter of sorts, 'purifying' the demonic chakra so that it can be usable by Naruto. But this is the demon's chakra……and as far as I know Naruto doesn't even know about the kitsune."

While keeping the first jutsu, she invoked a second technique that allowed her to get an estimate of Naruto's chakra reserves. While keeping two diagnosis jutsus at the same time is not easy, it isn't beyond Saya's abilities.

What she saw amazed her. "Holy flying fuck! This kid is a **monster**!" It took her a while to realize what she had just said. "Uhh…uh, sorry, kid."

The unconscious Naruto didn't respond. "But seriously, you have so much chakra it's not even funny!"

It only took her a few seconds to justify Naruto's……monstrous chakra capacity. "He has a minimal but steady flow of chakra extracted from the Nine Tails. His body……his chakra system and reserves have grown to adapt to the Demon Fox's presence. The seal uses Naruto's chakra to work. His chakra coils must be really thick………"

"Thick coils. Rapid chakra circulation. Constant chakra stamina training, feeding the seal. Damn, even without taking into account the Fox's chakra, this kid might have more reserves than all four Kages together! Give this brat a few wide-area damage elemental jutsu and you have the Day of Reckoning on two feet!!! Heck, give him Tajuu Kage Bunshin and a minor elemental jutsu and………damn…………"

"Okay, so I have a living chakra battery. No, more like a dam. Nah, more like the fucking sun. That still doesn't explain the two chakras. Unless……"

Some minutes of analysis, more diagnosis and "watching" the two chakras at work unveiled more amazing conclusions about the physiology of Uzumaki Naruto. While she waited all of his wounds had healed. She hadn't lifted a finger to aid him in his recovery. Only his destroyed eyes remained unchanged.

Saya talked to an inexistent audience. She liked to hear the sound of her "sensei" voice. Besides, making the whole speech would help her remember enough for it for when she registered all that information in written form.

"The kid's body has adapted to the presence of the Nine-Tailed Demon Fox. This was the whole point of sealing the demon in him, so it's an expected result. But this kid's developments are beyond amazing."

"Not only his chakra coils have grown: his muscles and veins are also larger than normal, in an unusual secondary effect of Naruto's overwhelming chakra capacity. His body is well toned despite his blatant malnutrition and the lack of any proper physical training. Even after having stabilized, his heart rate is 150 percent greater than an average human's. So are his blood pressure and his breathing rate. His lungs, heart, liver and kidneys are slightly bigger than those of a child his age. His body is a highly efficient machine that generates greater amounts of energy when compared with the average human. His current diet is insufficient, and only his enhanced body has prevented his succumbing to hunger and exhaustion. Unfortunately, his bones do not seem to have been enhanced in the same way as his muscles, veins and internal organs. His bones are weak and can barely support the weight of his body. My suspicion is that the Kyuubi's chakra has protected Naruto's bones from fracture so far. However, Naruto's condition and……special anatomy demand an immediate improvement of his daily diet."

"In addition to his notably over-developed anatomy and physiology and his extreme chakra reserves, Naruto also possesses an unnatural wound healing speed and efficiency, capable of disposing of minor wounds in less than two minutes and lesser severe wounds in a longer period of time. Clotting occurs in seconds. Vasoconstriction is practically instantaneous. His own chakra supplements the cleansing of the wound by burning damaged tissue, debris and possibly even bacteria. Angiogenesis (the formation of new blood vessels from existing blood vessels) doesn't take more than half a minute. The formation of a new extracellular matrix doesn't take more than twenty seconds. The whole proliferative phase of wound healing doesn't take forty seconds. It's just ridiculous."

"Naruto's unnatural regeneration cannot handle the most critical of wounds, like damage to internal organs, for example. However, I was surprised to see the Kyuubi's chakra handling what Naruto cannot. Basically, Naruto's superb natural regeneration handles the simplest wounds while the Demon Fox takes care of everything else. The fact that the Demon Fox protects Naruto's body implies that it cares about the vessel's wellbeing. My hypothesis is that the demon fears that Naruto's death might result in his own. I'll have to talk with Shiki about it."

Saya realized that she would have a long talk with Hiashi, too. The man had carried Naruto the whole way there. He had to have noticed Naruto's ridiculously fast healing. She could only hope he had kept it a secret from Itachi and his bodyguards. The knowledge of Naruto's unusual capabilities had to remain a secret at least until it was properly discussed with the Hokage.

"I hope you don't mind, Kyuubi-san, but I'll take credit for your work for a while."

She focused on the last matter at hand: Naruto's eyes. All skin and muscle damage was repaired by Naruto's natural fast healing. The damage to his internal organs was handled by Kyuubi. But his eyes remained untouched. She had seen the Kyuubi's chakra reaching to the brutally damaged eyes, but it quickly receded. She had seen it happen more than once. If it weren't a ridiculous idea, she'd have thought the Kyuubi was **afraid** of tampering with the damaged eyes.

It had taken her a while to come up with a hypothesis that could explain the demon's chakra's unusual behavior.

"Apparently, the Kyuubi's assistance in Naruto's healing process requires conscious effort……whatever stands for chakra control and medical Ninjutsu for a demon fox. Kyuubi can heal his own wounds, as clearly proved seven years ago. Besides, when you're mostly made of raw demonic chakra –whatever that means–, wounds aren't really much of a problem. In other words, Kyuubi can heal Naruto with his chakra because he **knows** how to heal his own body. This would also explain why Kyuubi was able to repair his heart and lungs but not his eyes. The structure of a fox's lungs and heart isn't radically different from a human's. The eyes, however, are a completely different matter. In conclusion, Kyuubi cannot heal Naruto's eyes because **he doesn't know how to**."

* * *

"Uhh………"

"Uhhh………nee-chan?"

"……what is it, Chen?"

"…this……this isn't the mistake we were expecting him to make, right?"

Shin shot an odd glance at the very dead body sprawled on the ground on his right side in front of the two cats. The fact that despite being at the mercy of the harsh rain for who-knows-how-long they could still sniff a faint trace of Uzumaki Naruto's scent could only mean that they were in the presence of the attacker.

Or at least his dead body.

"What happened to him, nee-chan?"

"I wish I knew, Chen……" Shin muttered as she made circles around the corpse, making tentative sniffs near his chest, his open mouth and his ears. She didn't recognize the face, so she guessed it wasn't an important or particularly notorious shinobi. At least he didn't belong to any important family.

That's when she noticed the rat mask lying behind the body's back. "ANBU………" She muttered. Chen followed her sister and hissed when she noticed the mask.

"Oh, that's not good………"

"If I had to guess………I'd say he was killed with some kind of poison. I can't see any wounds."

Chen sniffed the man's open mouth, and then looked at the fairly large pool of rainwater gathered under his face. "So what do we do now? Why haven't the ANBU found this yet?"

"Chen, the ANBU isn't omnipresent."

"What's 'omnipresent'?"

Shin sighed. "It means the ANBU cannot be everywhere every time."

"Ahhh……"

"Besides, there aren't as many of them patrolling tonight. They'll find it when a patrol shows up around here. That's why you have to go as fast as you can and get Saya-sama. She'll be able to figure out what killed this guy."

"Alright! You said the magic word! FAST!!!"

Before Shin could say anything else, Chen disappeared, jumping from roof to roof at a speed that put most ninjas to shame. She looked at the dead body, then up at the rain that making a mess of her fur. She looked at the distance, but Chen had already disappeared. She sighed.

"I expect lots of petting after this, Shiki-sama………"

* * *

"And that's what I figured out so far, Saru."

Saya had just finished her exposure of the results of her diagnosis. After asking Itachi to keep an eye on Naruto in case he regained consciousness (something she doubted, but with Jinchuuriki you never know), Saya shared her discoveries with the Hokage, her husband and the Hyuuga Clan Leader. She guessed Hiashi already knew enough; hence it didn't really matter if he joined the discussion. Besides, watching his shifting expression as she described the many unnatural characteristics Uzumaki Naruto possessed beyond the entity that resided within him. She was glad to see Hiashi was smart enough to figure out just how good a shinobi Naruto could be if those natural talents of his were fully exploited. For an instant, she imagined Uzumaki Naruto with Hyuuga eyes. The result was so ridiculous and wrong in so many levels she struggled not to laugh.

Kekkei Genkai? You don't need such things when you're Uzumaki Naruto.

It was also good to see how Sarutobi's hardened expression relaxed as waves of relief alleviated his troubled heart. The Houraisan couple knew the old Hokage wouldn't have been able to live with the blame had Naruto died. Yes, he was relieved. But he wasn't any less furious. Saya could see the flames of anger in his old eyes, and that excited her. Like her husband, she was sick and tired of watching a senile old coot being played like a fool by the Council and the Great Clans.

Unfortunately, Sarutobi's relief would never be complete. Saya had already mentioned the one troubling circumstance concerning Naruto's health.

"So, is that your final conclusion, Saya?"

"Yes, Saru. Naruto's eyes are beyond repair. The attacker might as well have gouged them out completely. It doesn't really make a difference. And medical Ninjutsu is not capable of regenerating an eye. I can't do it, nobody I know can do it." Saya added a few more words before the Hokage even think of the possibility. "Tsunade can't, either."

The Hokage released a long sigh. Hiashi stared at the wooden floor. Saya wondered what was in the Clan Leader's head. She wondered if he was trying to imagine a life without sight. She (correctly) guessed that for a Hyuuga that must be pretty harsh. She didn't remember any cases of blind Hyuugas, either natural or accidental.

"What about a transplant?" Hiashi finally proposed, looking up of Saya, who returned the gesture with a sad smile.

"Well, normally I'd say that's the way to go, but……" She wrinkled her noise. Shiki always found that gesture quite amusing; and cute, in a way. "……there are several issues with that. First of all, it's not like spare eyes are an available resource……unless you're willing to offer your daughter, Hiashi."

Shiki slammed his right hand on his forehead. Sarutobi only shook his head. Hiashi would have expressed his opinion in more violent ways if he weren't as acquainted with Saya's occasional bouts of morbid humor. So he resorted to narrowing his gaze and directing a furious glare with a dip of killing intent.

"I'll take that as a no. You see, finding a suitable eye is in itself a royal hassle. And even if we had a suitable donor, who in Konoha would agree to offer his or her eyes to help Uzumaki Naruto?"

The Hokage sighed again. There it was; the harsh, cold truth. He couldn't help but feel the weight of failure on his shoulders, the pain and shame of not even being able to fulfill Yondaime's last request.

Hiashi only nodded and, for the first time, got a complete grasp of what it truly meant to be Uzumaki Naruto. In a way that not even the boy's visage, all bloodied and agonizing, had accomplished, Saya's words had opened his eyes. For that reason, he allowed himself to let go of the bindings of his position and prestige, if even for a second, by taking a line from Houraisan Saya's book.

"………fuck."

Saya smiled in response. "Fuck indeed, Hiashi-kun. Now, in the remote case we found a suitable pair of eyes, I still have my doubts about performing the operation."

"Why?" Her husband spoke for the first time since she emerged from the _Kankai _Room.

"I've already make clear that the boy is not normal." Saya explained in her academic tone. "His anatomy, physiology…heck, the brat basically has two chakra pools; one of them which he can't control because it belongs to a demon! The boy not only uses his ridiculous chakra pool to regenerate faster than any person and most medical jutsus, apparently the fox also lends him a hand. The truth of the matter is this: we don't know shit about how that kid's body truly works. We don't know what would happen if we implant him a new pair of eyes. As far as we know, the fox might decide he doesn't like them and make them go 'POP!!!'"

Sarutobi and Hokage grimaced. Houraisan Saya's way of speech was far more troublesome than her husband's.

"What I'm trying to say is: the seal protects Naruto's body and mind from the Kyuubi's rotten chakra. Emphasis on **Naruto's**. I doubt the benefit extends to transplants. I'm not saying a transplant isn't possible. I'm saying we have absolutely no fucking idea what would happen, and it's not like we can try a 'test run'."

Sarutobi felt glad he was sitting on an ample chair. He wished it were a bit more comfortable, though. His headache had reached a new peak, and his body begged him to rest, but he knew he wouldn't sleep at all that night.

"So there are no options……"

Saya shrugged. "My opinion as the closest thing to a medic-nin we have here is that a transplant, while possible, would involve too many unknown variables. It's just not worth the risk. The kid's screwed. For life………unless Tsunade shows up and performs a miracle."

The Sandaime nodded with a grim expression. "So what now?"

"Now I remove what's left of his eyes before it gets nasty, and his nifty chakra will do the rest, accelerating the scarification of the empty sockets. The kid is tough, I tell you. Really, really tough. Once I do that, it won't be much longer before he regains consciousness."

"Good. I……I'd like to be there when he wakes up."

"Of course." Saya's expression finally softened, offering the wrinkled Hokage a compassionate look. Sarutobi then turned to Hiashi.

"Hiashi-san, I have a responsibility to stay, but I think you can return to your home. I'm sure you'd like to rest. It's been a……harsh night for all of us."

The Hyuuga Chief nodded. Certainly, too many things had happened in too little time. Hiashi wasn't used to such sudden maelstroms of events out of his immediate control. He was at the very least a bit unsettled and overwhelmed by it all.

However, he was surprised to realize he was, in a way, glad he had been witness to it all. Of course, he'd prefer to the whole ordeal to never happen. But it happened, and he felt it was a good thing he (and in a secondary role, his daughter) had been part of it. It was a feeling he wasn't used to experiencing; a feeling people do not experience often; a feeling some people never experience at all.

It was the feeling that he was in the presence of history in the making.

But he was also aware that his role in that story, at least for that night, had been fulfilled. "Then I shall take my leave. Hokage-sama……"

The Hokage tilted his head, waiting for Hiashi's words. "……I……I'd like to be kept informed of the progress……of the situation."

Sarutobi nodded. He seemed almost glad for Hiashi's request. "Of course."

"Shiki-sama. Saya-sama." Hiashi turned to the Houraisan couple, who bowed to him in response.

"Have a pleasant good night, Hiashi-kun." Shiki said with his natural neutral gaze.

"Watch out for the rain, Hiashi-kun."

With an inclination of his head, Hiashi turned away and departed……or at least he tried, until something…black…and……furry……crashed on his face.

"Heheheheh, that tickles." Chen giggled, referring to Hiashi's breath on her stomach.

There was a long interval of utmost silence; while Sarutobi, Shiki and Saya processed the sight of Hyuuga Hiashi standing in the middle of the Waiting Room with a cat sprawled on his face. Eventually, it was up to Hiashi himself to state the obvious.

"……do I have a cat on my face?"

It wouldn't have been half as hilarious had it been anyone but Hiashi. Well, Itachi would have been a close second.

Sarutobi was a lot more collected than the Houraisan couple, but he didn't do anything to hide his mirth. Shiki and Saya just howled in laughter. Fortunately for Hiashi, the Hyuuga Code of Conduct forbids him from feeling anything remotely close to embarrassment. He waited a long minute for the three other people present to calm down; secretly thanking Kami Itachi wasn't around.

Shiki grabbed Chen by her scruff and pulled her away from the Hyuuga. "Ah, don't worry, Hiashi, a cat is fine too."

Hiashi couldn't stop himself from frowning. "What does that mean?"

"……I'm not really sure." Shiki turned to face the cat he still held by the loose skin on her neck. "So, Chen, dear, what news do you have for me?"

"Hold me and I'll tell you." Chen purred, and Saya raised an eyebrow. Shiki did indulge the nekomata, and Chen proceeded to do her routine rubbing against Shiki's right cheek.

"Hey! Only I can do that!" Saya complained, walking closer to her husband with every intention to pull the cat off her husband.

"Suck it, old hag!"

"Okay, that's it, you're dead." Only Houraisan Saya can feel jealously towards an overly pampered two-tailed cat.

"We're in the middle of something, you two." Shiki declared with a conciliating tone. "Chen, would you mind?"

The cat complied after a rough lick on Shiki's cheek. "We found him."

"Who?"

"Who else? The attacker, the big bad guy, the evil mojo, the-"

"Okay, I got it."

Hiashi and Sarutobi looked at each other, then at the cat. It seemed Hiashi wouldn't leave just yet.

"Like that? So easily?" The Hokage moved to get a better look of Chen's face. The cat grinned.

"Yep! He was a really crappy ANBU, if you ask me."

"ANBU!" All four humans exclaimed as one. Hiashi blinked and secretly hoped nobody heard him. He blushed (or did whatever stands for blushing for a Hyuuga) when he noticed Saya's sly 'Gotcha!' smirk.

"Yep, ANBU."

Sarutobi's headache only got worse, and the fire in his eyes flared with renewed intensity. Maybe he hadn't asked Itachi enough questions.

"Where is he? Has he been already captured? Is he ready for interrogation?"

Chen shot an odd look at the Hokage. "Shin-chan's with him, he doesn't need to be captured, and he's a little too dead for interrogation."

It took all of them a while to fully understand what Chen had just said.

"……dead?" The Hokage felt like a bucket of cold water had just been poured on him. An ANBU, one of **his** ANBU, had tried to kill Naruto, and now he was dead.

"Yep, dead. Kicked the bucket. Met the Shinigami. Became the Nibi's plaything-"

"We get it, Chen." Shiki groaned.

"'What the fuck' doesn't describe what I feel right now." Saya complained. "Seriously, monkey, what the fuck is wrong with your village!?"

"I've been asking myself the same thing for a while now." Sarutobi was tracing circles on his temples. Maybe he should ask Saya to take a look at his headache.

"How did it happen?" Hiashi intervened before the discussion deviated through another tangent.

"Shin-chan has a theory, but we don't really know. But why do you ask me, anyway!? Shiki-sama!"

"What is it, Chen?"

"I did my part of the deal! Pay the tribute!"

Shiki sighed and Saya shot daggers at the small nekomata. Chen purred in delight when Shiki scratched a very special spot behind her ears.

"Aaah, that's the spot………"

Sarutobi sweatdropped. Hiashi used the Trademark Hyuuga Response for Absurdities: raising an eyebrow. The Houraisan male offered an apologetic look to his wife. "At least they don't ask for human sacrifices."

* * *

A hand faster than an untrained eye reached for the leg holster.

Click.

Holster is opened.

Swish.

Two fingers reach for the contents within.

Thump. Click.

A flick of the middle finger closes the holster. All this in an instant.

Po-kkin.

The sound of sin.

Munch. Munch.

Choco Banana.

Gulp.

It disappears.

A blink.

For an instant, Uchiha Itachi dispels his mask and reveals his satisfaction.

Yes, Pocky is heaven.

Uchiha Itachi is not a man that mixes business with pleasure. That would be anathema to his entire modus operandi. However, watching over an unconscious brat is below Itachi's definition of "work," even if the aforementioned brat has the strongest of the tailed beasts sealed within him. So, he decided he could afford to indulge in his personal Shangri-la.

One of his arms might be busy holding the biscuit stick, but the rest of his body focused his attention of the body lying unconscious in front of him. Itachi stood with his feet barely touching the tip of Naruto's head; that way he could keep an eye on both Naruto and the only means of entrance to the room. He'd prefer to sit down or at least rest on his knees, but his duty was to watch over the blond. While he doubted anyone would attempt an attack on Naruto (he doubted anyone would even be able to **find **Naruto in that place), he always took his job seriously………not taking Pocky into account.

Itachi is not a mysterious person. It's just that nobody has put enough serious effort into deciphering his personality. Once you understand he is the product of an inexistent childhood and the unreasonable demands of an entire Clan of stuck-up envious arrogant bastards who expect too much from any member of the family that stands slightly above the Uchiha norm (which is already expected to be far superior to the average norm), it becomes easy to understand why Itachi is the way he is. It is certainly fortunate "geniuses" do not appear on a regular basis, not even amongst the mighty Uchiha Clan.

Of course, when all Uchihas are supposed to be "geniuses," a "genius" among the "geniuses" is definitely something else.

Indeed, Uchiha Itachi is worthy of his reputation. Not everyday you see a twelve-years-old ANBU. He had only joined the ANBU four months ago and he was already assigned to lead squads every once in a while (like that night). He knew that, unless something extraordinary happened, he would be an official Squadron Leader in less than a year. Besides, what could possibly go wrong?

Itachi isn't an ambitious person, at least not in the normal sense. He didn't really make any particular effort to become the top Genin graduate at seven, Chuunin at ten and ANBU at twelve. He did what was expected from him, and his accomplishments are the consequence of his immense natural talents. He liked being a shinobi. He was born to be a shinobi. He couldn't imagine himself doing anything else. But, other than that, little else matter to Uchiha Itachi.

Uchiha Itachi. Shinobi. That was his mantra, his essence of self. His everything.

He was an empty existence, someone who simply **existed**. In that respect, he wasn't any different from Uzumaki Naruto. He lived, looking for a sense of purpose, a beacon that told him what he was supposed to do.

Uchiha Itachi felt incomplete. Worst of all, he wasn't completely aware of that.

He welcomed the unusual change of pace that night had brought to his life, courtesy of Uzumaki Naruto. The boy slept peacefully. To Itachi's eyes, the blond would have been the perfect image of peace if he didn't know the macabre truth hidden behind Naruto's eyelids. From what little Houraisan Saya had told him before she shooed him out of the Waiting Room and locked him with the unconscious demon vessel, Naruto was in perfect condition, sans the total loss of his sight.

Uchiha Itachi had to admit, the current situation was not within his expectations.

_Maybe you should have died. _He mused; his emotionless gaze digging holes on Naruto's face. _It might have been the best for everyone. Yourself included._

Itachi knew. That kid, no matter how much he struggled, wouldn't have the life he desired. Naruto would leave his life watching his back in every moment, keeping an eye on those that were after the creature he contained, whether to kill it or to (pretend to) use it. Itachi knew that better than anyone in Konoha, except maybe the four people beyond the Operation Room's wooden double doors.

One second of fluid motion; a second stick of Pocky in his hand.

It was ridiculous; the villagers' treatment of the Jinchuuriki. Or at least that's what Itachi thought. If they truly think he's the demon, why do they treat him like Konoha's pariah? If he truly were the demon, they should treat him with respect. Respect born of fear, true, but respect nonetheless. You don't insult and ignore someone who, seal and everything aside, has the power to reduce you to your elemental particles in an instant. It's common sense. Something Konohagakure apparently needed in vast amounts. Adding to that the Hokage's law that prohibited any mention of the Nine-Tails, and Itachi would expect Naruto to have been allowed the closest thing to an ordinary life he could possible receive. In fact, beyond the insults, the curses and the harsh words, few people actually dared getting too close (and too physical) with the boy. Most people actively ignored him and avoided him.

However; Itachi thought; that might be the reason the assassination attempt actually worked……except for the fact Naruto didn't die, of course. The attack was a success because _**nobody in Konoha with a sane frame of mind would dare attempt to put an end to Uzumaki Naruto's life**_.

With a single thought, Itachi solved the mystery of the assassination attempt on Uzumaki Naruto. Of course, he wasn't really solving anything, since it wasn't a mystery to him in the first place.

Just by looking at the unconscious boy, Itachi thought about the sheer stupidity of it all. How could anyone think that kid was a demon? He wouldn't even need two seconds to break Naruto's neck. Really, he'd only need to extend his hand a bit and……

"Whatever you are thinking right now, please stop it."

Itachi blinked. He hadn't felt anyone enter the room. That's not normal. He is Uchiha Itachi. He doesn't make those mistakes. Had he been so immersed in his thoughts? Looking down at his arms, he saw another thing that surprised him.

His right arm was closing in on Naruto's neck. _When did I……?_

He quickly decided to blame this quite aberrant trail of mistakes on stress. Deciding that remaining silent would only make things worse, he quickly turned to face Saya, wife of Houraisan. "I do not-"

Saya's closed eyes caught Itachi's attention. Could it be……?

"You……fear my Sharingan?"

Saya couldn't tell if Itachi's voice was smug or disappointed. That unnerved her. However, she knew she had to give him an honest answer.

"Don't get me wrong, Itachi-kun." She said; opening her eyes only to lower them to look at the Uchiha's feet. "You can't blame me for avoiding something that can trap me in a Genjutsu in the blink of an eye. It's simple survival instinct. But I do not fear the Sharingan, Itachi-kun, and I definitely do not fear you. I have fought the Sharinga before. I have defeated the Sharingan before. I can do it again."

Of course, Saya would never admit that she was painfully aware that it was a matter of time before Itachi surpassed her. Yes, she knew just how talented the genius Uchiha truly was, and just how much stronger he would become. Houraisan Saya is no psychic, but she has a good eye for those things.

"Now, out. I have work to do, and Hokage-sama wants to speak with you. We found the culprit."

Itachi didn't even blink. If there was something he knew it was hiding his emotions. "So soon?"

"Yeah, we're that good. Now, out."

* * *

Drip. Drip. Drip.

The sound of water falling, drop by drop. In the darkness, it was his only company.

Drip. Drip. Drip.

The sound was faint but, in the darkness, it might as well be a sledgehammer. It made no difference.

Drip. Drip. Drip.

The painfully slow staccato was his everything. There was nothing else but him, and the drops. Drip. Drip. Drip. He didn't even feel his body. He just **was**.

Drip. Drip. Drip.

The sound was everything. Every single time a drop of water hit the ground, it felt like a hammer descending on his forehead. It wasn't painful……or maybe it was and he just didn't care anymore. It was definitely annoying.

Drip. Drip. Drip.

Having nothing else to do, he focused on the sound. Then, he recognized the sound as water dropping on water. When he realized there was water on the ground, he became aware of his own soaked state. With the awareness of wetness, came the awareness of existence.

I am wet, therefore I am.

With the aware of his existence came the awareness of his discomfort. Basically, he felt like crap. There was no pain, though, only annoyance. He felt dirty, wet and tired. He felt so heavy the sole idea of trying to move was quickly discarded in a bout of simplistic conformism. He didn't want to open his eyes; there wasn't even a reason to.

He should have been alarmed at the fact that his memory felt like a forest shrouded in mist on a dark moonless night, his memories being the trees. He knew they were there, but finding a specific one was impossible, and he kept stumbling into ideas, sights, perceptions and impressions. He **saw** pain, he **heard **blood, he **smelled **agony, he **tasted** evil, he **felt **the voice of a girl. His memories and his senses merged and mixed; the boundaries of perception and reality torn apart by a torn soul and a fragile psyche. He knew the last thing he remembered before falling-

_Unconscious……_

-asleep was a man, but he couldn't for his life figure out who.

Truth be told, he didn't feel that bad. He wasn't sure why, but he felt like he should feel worse.

His conclusion was that he could handle worse. Yes, always the optimistic one, even when life sucked so badly.

When he reached that conclusion, he decided it was time to open his eyes. How was he supposed to know he wouldn't like what he'd see?

So, he opened his eyes.

The moment he did that, he knew he should have kept them closed. **Something** washed over him, something invisible and intangible, but its presence was obvious, all over him like some sort of scalding, stinking sludge. He knew his immediate reaction should be hurrying to get up and get rid of the……viscous……thing that was slowly burning his skin, but **something else** pinned him on the floor. It wasn't just his tiredness. He knew what it was because; despite the memory being blurry and fragmented, he knew exactly what he was experiencing.

Fear.

But it wasn't any of the forms of fear he knew. It wasn't anywhere close to his fear of the milk he had struggled to buy turning to be spoiled, or the fear of maggots in his meat, the fear of rotten eggs or the fear of the dark when the electricity of his measly apartment failed (which happened a bit too often). It wasn't like the (well concealed) fear of some of villagers with the most creative threats suddenly becoming true to their normally-empty words.

No, this was something of the likes of nothing he had ever experienced before. It was a more……fundamental form of fear, something that tugged at the most basic and primal elements of his existence, at the ninety-something percent of his genes that are identical to those of any other animal life form. The conflicting emotions threatened to rip in two his mind as his overwhelming desire to run away conflicted with his just-as-overwhelming to close his eyes and pretend there was nothing out there. Pretend **he was nothing**.

His body screamed, his mind said no. His mind screamed, his body said no. He didn't know anymore. Body, soul, mind, heart, spirit: they all felt like disparage, scattered entities and he just didn't know anymore. Once again, he doubted his own existence, or maybe he concluded he was nothing but fear; a mangled, formless, pathetic mass of pure fear.

He remained there, wherever he was, his eyes fixated on the lone eye that stared down at him. Of course, he didn't fail to notice that the eye was probably as large as himself. He was too stunned to even wonder why he could only see one eye, and he was too much of a mess to conclude it was because of his position and the angle from which he was looking up. There was only him (whatever he **was**, whatever he **had become**, whatever **that thing** had **turned him into**) and the eye. The eye that seemed to be made of living flame and the small, feral, **inhuman** black pupil that stared down at him as if it could kill him with just a look.

And maybe it could.

However, terrified as he was, paralyzed as he was, exhausted as he was, confused as he was, he looked up. He never looked away. The eye looks down at him, so he would look at the eye. It was better than the endless darkness. It was the only thing besides the endless darkness. Hoping that his expression manages to relay the miserable sapling of emotion he feels, he looks up, "challenging" the eye with one last bout of determination.

After all, of there's something Uzumaki Naruto has, it's boundless determination.

The eye shifted in (amusement?) (respect?) (irritation?) (delight?) (outrage?) an unreadable motion. Naruto felt the core of his soul freezing, shaking and cracking as the eye slowly descending closer and closer to him………

Naruto closed his eyes when light (light, not darkness) claimed him.

**End of Chapter Two...**

* * *

**Original Jutsu!**

I have lots of these. You have no idea how many original jutsus I've come up with when I have nothing better to do……yeah, I'm pathetic like that.

**Fuuton: Sasayaku Kaze no Jutsu**

**Name: **Wind Release: Whispering Wind Technique

**Type: **D-rank, Supplementary, all ranges

**User: **Sandaime Hokage, Houraisan Shiki, Houraisan Saya **(for now?)**

This practical utility jutsu works in two ways: facilitating communication between team members or improving the shinobi's hearing capabilities (or both).

With this jutsu, the shinobi can whisper his words aloud and know that the winds will convey them to his intended listener. The chakra expenditure of this technique is proportional to the distance the message will travel to reach its recipient. The words actually do not need to be spoken, but the ninja must at least mouth them. The sending shinobi need not know the exact location of the intended recipient, but he/she must know her approximate location.

In addition, the jutsu permits a ninja to hear the faintest trace of words echoing through the air, allowing him to eavesdrop on conversations at seemingly impossible distances by applying minor nature manipulation to control sound pressure. As in the previous case, the amount of chakra spent determines how far away the ninja can hear. However, spying with this jutsu requires intense concentration, which means it's generally impossible to use this jutsu in this way while performing strenuous activity.

**Hakke Happō Fuuin Kekkai**

**Name: **Eight Trigrams Omnidirectional Seal Barrier (or "Eight Divination Signs," if for some reason you don't like the word "Trigram")

**Type:** Hiden, C-rank, Supplementary, All ranges

**User:** Houraisan Shiki **(for now?)**

By the careful crafting of eight seals forming a circle and projecting chakra through these seals over a circular area, this jutsu creates a circular barrier around the seals' vicinity. The barrier does not prevent entry, though, but it immediately warns the jutsu's user whenever a creature enters the area within the barrier. The jutsu basically works as an alarm to prevent surprise attacks.

This jutsu is labeled as "Hiden" because its creator, Houraisan Shiki, never taught it to anyone else. Only recently has he taught it to Naruto, who added it to his Family Scrolls. While the jutsu itself is simple enough to be C-rank, the average ninja cannot create a ward greater than 100 meters of radius without risking chakra depletion.


	3. Lost Blue Eyes: World of Darkness

**Notes: **Uhhh, I did notice I wrote a little too much in the description of _**Hakke Happou Fuuin Kekkai**_. Oh, well, so Naruto's gonna learn a cool utility jutsu. Big deal. It's not a huge spoiler. Thanks a lot for the reviews, they're always encouraging. It's not very often I can take time to reply to the reviews, but I'll see what I can do.

**Disclaimer: **Seriously, I don't own Naruto. I don't even see the point of writing this. Who in God's name would pretend to own **Naruto** of all things!?

In any case, Naruto is the creation of one Kishimoto Masashi. It belongs to him, his publisher and distributors. I'm not gaining any profit for doing this. The idea itself is hilarious. If I did, I'd definitely write faster.

* * *

After an hour of two, the savagery from the sky that descended upon Konoha and its surrounding areas slowly relented and surrendered to the impassable resistance of the untamed land. The cacophonic downpour became a pathetic drizzle that was more annoying than anything else.

It was as if the rain had accomplished a rather spiteful purpose. It waited until the last stinking drunkard in Konoha secluded himself for a good night's sleep before finally retiring. The celebrations that had been tempered in rainwater had faded into cloistered family and friendly gatherings within the safety and warmth of four walls, a floor and a ceiling. Eventually, only the feistier ones defeated the rain and continued their revelry after the downpour became a mild sprinkle. Certainly, it was as if the Gods themselves didn't approve of the celebrations, because the watery sign of their distaste only disappeared after they were mostly over.

It was still night time when this happened. Sunrise would arrive a few hours later. After the night's festivities, Konoha would be late to awaken. Only the shinobi population of Konoha was denied the benefit of sleeping a few extra hours, and many of them would have to pay the price for a few too many shots of sake. Yes, it would be a slow morning after for the Village Hidden in the Leaves.

Nature, on the other side, didn't follow the haphazard schedules of men. Nature followed its own pace, its own heartbeat, honed by millennia of constant adaptation and driven to absolute precision by the many laws that govern it. The sky and the rain had done their job the night before, and the green land would only respond in kind.

That morning, the world would shine greener and more brilliant than ever, the millions of leaves that created the awe-inspiring greenery of the Great Shinobi Vllage revealing a glorious luster brought by the morning dew and the downpour of the night before. Water brought with it the blessing of life, and it showed. The few human eyes that were up and around were blessed with a scene of the most pure magnificence, and one Maito Gai exclaimed at the top of his lungs odd poems about the youthful beauty of the new day and how he would revel in this beauty by performing all sorts of unreasonable feats. Nature didn't care, just like it wouldn't care when, a few years later, a second voiced joined the extravagant Jounin's.

It was a beautiful morning, indeed. Water brought with it the promise of renewal. Plants sprouted, flowers blossomed and the whole world reveled in an orgasmic explosion of life. It was as if the natural landscapes of Konoha had been reborn.

Rebirth.

It was an appropriate word, because, in the darkness of the rainy night that gave way to that morning, and in the hours that followed, more than one person would be reborn.

In more ways than one.

* * *

The underground facilities under Houraisan Saya's dojo consist simply of a "Waiting Room" and an "Operation Room." There are no bedrooms for the convalescent patients because Saya never intended to run a hospital. Saya's facilities were meant for emergency treatment, Saya's research and experimentation and, more than three decades before, Tsunade's medical training.

For that reason, Naruto had to be carried (by Itachi) to the guest room of the Houraisan Main House, sheltered from the rain by the males' combined efforts. A while later, after Saya once again locked herself inside her not-so-secret-anymore underground rooms claiming she needed to "do medical things," and after Itachi was, once again, left to watch over the sleeping Naruto (Sarutobi's suggestion – Hiashi and the Houraisan couple raised an untrusting eyebrow. Itachi actually seemed annoyed for once), the three remaining males did what Saya had been doing until Hiashi, Itachi and his bodyguards arrived: watching the stormy sky and the falling rain, calmly seated on the wooden floor, protected from the elements by the dojo's ceiling. Hiashi's Chuunin bodyguards and Itachi's ANBU squadron had already moved the dead body of the person believed to be Naruto's attacker to Saya's "Operation Room." The Hokage had requested the medic-nin to handle that aspect of the investigation, mainly because he wanted to keep that night's events under the eyes of the rest of the village, if only for a while (interpret this as "until he finds the best way to use these events to his advantage").

Shiki, of course, was forced to deal with a very……affectionate Chen and a very wet and very pissed off Shin. They had only agreed to leave after Shiki promised "twice the normal fee" for their services that night. All in all, it was a very acceptable transaction, considering that the nekomatas' fee consisted only on good food and lots of petting and caressing and scratching that **special **spot the twins shared that turned them into identical puddles of feline goo………most of the time.

Sometimes their requests were as random as they were bizarre.

The Houraisan male, just like before in the Hokage's office, provided the drinks for this little gathering of three. Since they needed to remain alert, sake was out of the question.

"Is there anything you don't keep in those seals of yours?" Sarutobi joked as he received a warm cup of green tea. The man, despite everything that had taken place that night, actually looked **younger**. Decades of being close acquaintances told Shiki that **something **was being concocted in the old man's wise head. The flickering flame in his eyes told Shiki that this **something** would, at the very least, be interesting. He secretly hoped it somehow involved the old Hokage putting his political enemies in their place once and for all. He doubted it would go that far, but a man can dream……

"So, Hiashi-kun, will you have tea, or maybe it is too lowly a drink for your magnificent Hyuuga stomach?"

Hiashi received the tea with a growl. An odd taste in his mouth obliged him to spit in a very unrefined way, disposing of a few loose short black hairs, mementos of the little scene with Chen a while before. He immediately glared at the other two men, challenging them to say anything. Sarutobi and Shiki showed identical smirks, and the great Hyuuga suddenly felt himself the oldest of the three.

"May I ask what amuses you so, _**Hokage-sama**_?"

Sarutobi's smirk only widened as he heard the forced inflection Hiashi had added to his title. Hiashi repressed the urge to groan. It wasn't everyday he dealt with the Hokage's most……youthful (not in the Maito way, though) aspects of his personality but, then again, wasn't Jiraiya, one of Sandaime's students, who, in his Chuunin days, dumped him in the female section of the hot springs?

Hiashi sometimes (not very often, mind you) found himself remembering that scene with a very un-Hiashi-ish grin on his face and phantom pain all over his body. That was one hell of a beating he took that day.

Unfortunately, it was time to discuss more serious topics. Namely, a certain blond demon vessel.

"So, Saru, I take it you've put some thought into this. What do you have in mind?"

The Hokage returned Shiki's question with a serious, albeit sad, look, and a truthful answer. "I guess that depends only on Naruto, and how he will be affected by this."

Hiashi nodded. It was true. They couldn't really make much planning without an input on Naruto's reaction to the events.

"This is going to hit him hard." Shiki stated. Sarutobi nodded and took a rather large gulp of tea.

Hiashi put some thought into that. He had to admit; losing your eyes in such a particularly gruesome way was certainly a hard blow to take. The single thought of any of his daughters going through what the little pariah had gone through made his blood boil. Truthfully, it was a harsh, horrible and traumatizing experience. Hiashi wasn't a man who pitied others. While he didn't take the "fate" rants as far as his nephew Neji (not that Hiashi knew about that, though), he suffered from the same "I'm better than you" syndrome as most other Hyuugas. That's why, in the presence of other people's hardships, Hiashi mostly ignored them, assuming they were getting what they deserved.

He didn't know if it had been Hinata's presence, or the whole pathetic-ness of the situation, or maybe a combination of things (or the few drops of alcohol added to the tea), but Hiashi actually felt a bit glad he had done what he did. It was the satisfaction of having done a good deed.

Of course, Hiashi is still a Hyuuga. The Leader of the Hyuugas, to be precise. The whole "good Samaritan" thing didn't stop his cunning mind from looking for ways to get some gain from these latest events. At the very least, he knew his standing with the Hokage had improved, and that was always a good thing. And it was always good to improve relationships with the Houraisan couple. But he knew he could do better than that. He only had to think a bit harder.

How was he supposed to know he had already gained a third benefit from his maybe-not-so-altruistic actions? And a **fourth**?

Returning his thoughts to the blond vessel, Hiashi tried to comment, if only to keep the flow of the conversation.

"………he'll be alright."

Sarutobi and Shiki blinked, surprised and impressed by Hiashi's choice of words. The Hyuuga proceeded to explain.

"He was conscious when I found him, as I believe I told you." The other two nodded. "That child……he is strong. I'll acknowledge that."

Shiki didn't say a thing. He quietly checked Sarutobi's reaction. Hiashi, who turned away to look at the small house where Naruto currently rested, subtly activated his Byakugan to do the same. He'd have tried to check on Naruto and Itachi, but he knew the walls of the Houraisan residence possessed the same seals that were used in the Hyuuga compound to protect some rooms (and the privacy of those within) from their own Bloodline Limit, which is to be expected, since Shiki created those seals. Hiashi remembered that in his childhood the Hyuuga Clan used a policy of "manners," saying that, if you were inside a room you were allowed to use Byakugan to look outside, but it was seen as very bad manners to, when outside, use Byakugan to see inside a closed room. The seals became necessary when it became obvious that too many Hyuugas weren't above ignoring manners.

When Hiashi saw the look of utmost gratitude and appreciation on the old Hokage's wrinkled face, he knew he had said the right thing. Had he possessed an "Inner Hiashi," the alternate ego would have exclaimed something amongst the lines of **"Score one for the H-man!!! OH YEAH!!!!!!!!"**

Let us ignore the double meaning of an expression such as "H-man." Besides, the Hyuuga leader had already got in enough trouble when a younger Jiraiya called him that in front of females. Females with nasty right hooks.

"Well, you can deal with Naruto when he wakes up, I guess." Shiki concluded. "But what about-"

"I know." Sarutobi interrupted. "I have no intention of leaving this matter unresolved."

"Someone has gone too far."

The spike of killing intent that flooded the space around the Hokage unwillingly made the other two men shiver. Shiki found himself needing to lighten the mood.

"Well, we can only hope Saya has some interesting news for us after she's done with the body."

"Yes……" The Hokage muttered absentmindedly. "……but there's something else that worries me."

"And what would that be?" Hiashi inquired.

"……just what will it be of Naruto now?"

While it was completely unnecessary, Sarutobi added a few more words. "He cannot live alone anymore. Not like this."

Shiki nodded. "Hmm, that's true……he's going to need someone to take care of him……" A sly grin invaded his face as he looked at Hiashi. "How about the Hyuugas? You gain a loyal child, your little daughters get a new friend, and the Branch Family will probably love him! I mean, they both have unfair seals, right? It would be like 'The Rejects' Club' or something! See? Everyone's happy!"

Shiki's grin didn't falter under the force of Hyuuga Hiashi's terrible glare. The Hyuuga leader decided he didn't even need to explain why it was abysmally, absolutely, cosmically impossible for Naruto to live in the Hyuuga Compound.

"Well, the orphanage is not an option." Shiki declared. "Even if they actually liked him over there, they wouldn't be able to give him the specialized attention he needs……and deserves. He needs a guide, a comforting hand, a shoulder to lean on, someone who can be his eyes until he learns to fend off by himself again."

It was Hiashi's turn to smirk. "My, Houraisan-sama, it sounds as if you've just offered yourself."

Shiki froze. "Quiet!" He hissed. "Before Saya gets-"

"What, dear?" Saya chose that precise moment to appear from the depths of the earth, offering her husband a dangerous smile. "What are we talking about?"

Much to Shiki's chagrin, Hiashi quickly took the initiative. "Saya-sama, we were discussing your husband's very kind offer of watching over the young Uzumaki now that he can't live by himself."

The woman with the looks of a teenager looked visibly impressed……and surprised. "Oh really?"

"Yes." Hiashi insisted. Of course, the horrified look Shiki shot at the Hyuuga leader told Saya otherwise. Adjusting her robe so that it wouldn't show more than what she could allow men other than her husband to see, Saya kneeled behind Shiki, resting her head on his right shoulder and her chest against his back.

"It's not such a bad idea, dear. You know I always wanted to give you children."

Shiki rolled his eyes. "Thank you very much, Hiashi." Saya giggled.

Hiashi nodded solemnly and sipped his cup of tea. "You are most welcome. Umm……great tea………"

Sarutobi nodded in agreement with something. (the tea's quality? Hiashi's suggestion?) "Shiki……don't you remember what you promised the Yondaime Hokage?"

Hiashi frowned, but his mind gloated and smirked, silently thanking whatever fate that led him to that empty street where he found Uzumaki Naruto. After that night, he just **knew** he'd be on an advantageous position over every other clan and family. He only had to play his cards right and let the others do the talking. He'd do the listening. And when all the other clans and families acted against Uzumaki Naruto and the Hokage, like he **knew** they would, Hiashi would do the good old dagger-between-the-shoulder-plates strategy and side with the Sandaime. After everything he had seen that night, he was sure the Hokage was the way to go. There would only be hell for those who even dare speak against him.

And if his own Clan Council didn't like his idea, he always could remit them to the Lion's Den (also known as the Hokage's office) and watch the show while he looked for more……manageable replacements.

Hiashi seriously considered being nicer to the Kyuubi's jailer from that day onwards. His morbid and carefully contained sense of humor considered making Uzumaki Naruto an honorary Hyuuga. However, before his thoughts went out of hand he wisely chose to refocus on the conversation taking place between the Hokage and the Houraisan.

Shiki's expression became deadly serious, staring down at the Hokage with narrowed eyes and a flat line between his lips.

"As far as I remember, Saru, the promise I made doesn't say anything about raising the brat. Besides, the conditions of the fulfillment of that promise have changed after tonight."

The Hokage blinked as if he had just become aware of something, and then he looked down sadly. "Yes………you're right about that."

"Let's just wait until the kid wakes up. We need to know what he thinks of all this……and let's hope Hiashi-kun is right."

"I told you, Houraisan-sama, the child is strong. You would do wrong in underestimating him. I know I won't anymore. Not after tonight."

* * *

For the second time that night, Uchiha Itachi had been assigned the role of Uzumaki Naruto's caretaker. He was surprised he was granted the role after his last encounter with Lady Houraisan. It was obvious that she hadn't told the others about their little face-off. Was she still willing to trust him after that? He had feared his little slip would get him in unnecessary trouble, but it didn't happen.

He wouldn't go as far as to say he was ashamed, but he was definitely revising his opinion of Lady Houraisan.

His thoughts and emotions in check; he returned his attention to the still-sleeping boy. While his now-emptied eye sockets were covered with bandages, Itachi's Sharingan allowed him to notice the tension in Naruto's facial muscles.

"A nightmare, perhaps?" Itachi muttered to himself.

His Sharingan suddenly warned him of sudden spikes of chakra lashing out from the boy. His body immediately shifting to a tense, alerted pose, Itachi slowly and cautiously approached the sleeping form. Naruto's chakra seemed to be in a strange tug-of-war with……a second chakra?

_Kyuubi. _Itachi correctly concluded. Surprisingly enough, Naruto's chakra seemed to envelop and overpower the demon's. Itachi didn't make ridiculous assumptions. It was obvious the seal granted Naruto the extra push that allowed him to keep the kitsune's wandering chakra in check. However, Itachi couldn't help but wonder how long would that last.

The rational part of Itachi's unstable psyche secretly prayed Naruto surprised everyone with his strength and properly contained the Nine-Tails. For obvious reasons (namely, age), Itachi didn't see the fight with the colossal Demon Fox, but, even from the Uchiha Clan's underground shelters he could feel the otherworldly aura of power the monster irradiated. Itachi didn't want to see that incarnation of destruction on the loose again.

As suddenly as it began, the battle of the chakras reached its end, and Uzumaki Naruto awoke with a gasp.

* * *

After the darkness, came the eye. After the eye, came the light.

After the light……came darkness again.

_Uhh……okay, that's strange._

Naruto paid no heed to the lingering headache that welcomed him. He was used to waking up with a headache, may it be from lack of dinner the evening before, a nasty bump on his head or whatever. The first thing he did, a good habit born out of sheer natural instinct, was taking in his surroundings. Of course, that proved impossible for the obvious reason. He couldn't see a thing. However, his other four senses gave him plenty of information.

The soft mattress he felt under him wasn't his bed. Not that his bed was bad or anything……well, it was, but it was **his**, so it didn't matter. This bed was soft (verysoft) and bouncy, very nice. The pressure around his head told him his eyes were covered. However, his limbs weren't restrained in any way. He didn't recognize any of the scents around him, and wherever he was lacked the distinct smell of emptied instant ramen packages and dirty clothes.

"Uzumaki Naruto-san."

Naruto froze. He wasn't alone. He was blindfolded, and there was someone there he couldn't see!

Anyway he saw it; he wasn't in a good situation. Following his acute hearing, he inched as far away from the voice as he could without falling off the bed.

"Who's there!?" Naruto exclaimed, trying to hide an ounce of impending fear with his mask of bravado, at the same he struggled to look for a way to get rid of the blindfold that wasn't really such.

"I'd recommend you don't take off the bandages, Naruto-san."

_Bandages? For my eyes?_

That's when it hit him. The memories of the night before that had eluded him, as if possessing a sadistic mind of their own, struck him like an evil claw. He remembered the initial surprise, the terror, the pain and his own pleas for help and mercy. He remembered the sharp, pointy end of a kunai, and how it descended on……

Itachi watched with an unfazed expression while Uzumaki Naruto dirtied the immaculate bed sheets with the contents of his stomach mixed with bile and saliva. _Well, at least he kept his bladder in check………_

"It seems you do remember, after all. Let me offer you my most sincere apologies."

Naruto didn't mind Itachi's not-apologetic-at-all voice. He had other things in his mind at the moment, like wiping off the disgusting taste of puke with his blood-and-mud-stained t-shirt.

_Wha-wha……he's the bastard!? No……different voice……this guy's got a pretty badass voice! No, wait, what the!?_

"Where am I?" Naruto demanded to know; his body haggard and his voice agitated.

"I'll leave the explanations to Hokage-sama. I'm sure he wants to talk with you."

"The old man? He's here?" The comfort of a familiar and trusty presence eased Naruto's nerves a little.

"He is outside. If you excuse me for a minute, I'll call him."

Naruto nodded. He wanted familiar company. He needed to calm down, too. "Ah, um! Uh……who are you, anyway?"

"………Uchiha……Itachi."

One of the most fundamental forms of cognitive learning is word association. While, in a matter of year's time, Naruto would unconditionally associate "Uchiha" with "that fuckin' Sharingan," at this point of his life he associates "Uchiha" with "Military Police." Needless to say, it wasn't a good association either (a few years later, he'd admit it was a lot better than "that fuckin' Sharingan").

"……am I in trouble?"

Itachi couldn't stop himself from raising an eyebrow. He definitely didn't expect that response.

"……not in the slightest."

Naruto could only hear the sound of a door opening and closing. Itachi had left him alone with his mangled thoughts. He'd have enough time to organize them. A part of him wished he didn't. Naruto isn't precisely the smartest lad in the neighborhood, but he is no idiot either. He eventually reached the obvious conclusion (after a little experiment, of course), just in time to hear the door to his right being opened again, and several pairs of footsteps.

"Naruto, I'm so glad to see you are well-"

"I'm blind."

Everyone blinked. Shiki, to say the least, was amused. _Well, beat around the bush, he doesn't._

The newcomers easily noticed the few contents of Naruto's stomach on the bed. Saya quickly removed the bed sheets before the stench reached the mattress.

Naruto's words were like a hammer that pounded on the Hokage's chest. The words themselves and the fatalistic tone Naruto had used were the last addition to a chain of regrets that had consumed the old man ever since that fateful night seven years before. Why didn't I raise him myself? Why did I leave him to be mistreated in an overpopulated orphanage? Why didn't I take proper care of him?

**Why didn't I save him?**

However, the old Sarutobi wasn't the Hokage for nothing. It was probably a combination of Naruto's sad fate and Shiki's morbid criticism, but Sarutobi was **tired**. He was tired of regretting. So, he channeled his regret in a more……productive way.

Anger.

First and foremost, at himself, for being such a senile idiot.

Second, at anyone and everyone who did as much as shooting ugly looks at Naruto.

The Hokage was tried of regretting. _No more regrets. Not anymore_.

He had a long way ahead of him to make for all the wronging inflicted upon Naruto by his inaction. He might as well start on the right foot.

Hiashi and Shiki gasped (the latter louder than the former) when the Third Hokage, the most powerful shinobi they had ever met, kneeled before the sitting Naruto and bowed his head in the humblest form of apology.

"Naruto……I……we are not worthy, but……in the name of my village…in the name of Konohagakure………I'm sorry………I'm so very sorry…………"

Naruto was confused by the whole thing, not only by the Hokage's difficult voice (_crying?_), or his words, but by the fact the Hokage's voice seemed to come from under him.

"Hokage-sama is kneeling and bowing in front of you, brat." Shiki stated. "He is apologizing, and he expects a response."

Naruto didn't even bother with this new voice; the whole situation was crazy enough as it was. In any case, the voice was right: the old man deserved an answer. Unfortunately, his age proved to be a hurdle, as Naruto didn't possess the intellect or the lexicon to come up with the proper words to use.

"Old man………"

Sarutobi raised his head, which until that moment had his forehead leaning on the wooden floor. "I shouldn't have allowed that to happen!"

"Taking care of me is my parents' job." Naruto declared with a sad smile and shrugged. "They're not here, so there isn't really anyone to blame."

Shiki and Saya winced. _Damn he's blunt._

"Naruto, I'm really sorry……"

"Yeah, got it, old man, I'm telling you it's not your fault. You should be thinking of how you gonna make up for this!"

The Hokage blinked. Everyone else (but Itachi) blinked. Shiki glanced at Hiashi. Not even the Hyuuga expected such a response from the blond vessel. However, they were smart enough to see through the boy's mask. Not even Uzumaki Naruto can lose his eyes and act as if nothing had happened.

The saddest thing was that, with his eyes, Naruto had also lost the ability to cry.

The old Sarutobi shook his head slowly and sighed. He smiled at Naruto, forgetting for a moment that the boy couldn't see him anymore.

_I should have known……_

"Don't worry, Naruto, I already have a few ideas."

"Damn right you do, old coot!"

The Hokage sighed. "Naruto, would you give us a minute?"

"Uh……yes?"

"Thank you." Sarutobi bowed politely and commanded the other four outside the room. He turned to the Hyuuga and the Uchiha.

"What happened tonight is a secret between us and the other witnesses. Hiashi, I fully expect you to ensure your bodyguards' secrecy. Same for you and your ANBU Squad, Itachi."

"Of course." Hiashi replied sternly, mildly annoyed at Sarutobi implying that he couldn't enforce obedience from lesser Hyuugas. Itachi simply nodded. Secrecy was the most convenient for him.

"I can make this an S-Rank secret punishable by death. Don't make me do it." The fierce Hokage made an additional warning. "Now, Itachi you may go back to your patrolling. Thank you for your help."

His expression didn't show it, but Itachi wasn't really looking forward to going back to his boring routine. He bowed respectfully in front of the Hokage and turned to the Houraisan couple.

"Houraisan-sama, if you don't mind, may I visit Uzumaki-san at a later time?" Noticing the strange expression of the married couple's faces, Itachi quickly made an excuse. "With the attacker being one of my fellows, I find it necessary to extend a proper apology to Uzumaki-san."

Everyone knew that was a blatant lie. Itachi couldn't reveal to Naruto that he was an ANBU, for obvious reasons. Not that the fox mask did much at hiding his identity. In any case, Itachi still didn't know a thing about the dead ANBU's motives or the causes of his death (or so they thought). However, they didn't really have a reason to deny him the right to visit Naruto.

"I don't really care." Shiki said matter-of-factly. "Ask the nurse."

Saya growled to her husband before replying. "The boy needs all the support he can get right now. You're welcome to visit him anytime you want, Itachi-kun, as long as you come with the proper intentions."

Itachi bowed in front of the Houraisan couple. "You have my thanks. Hokage-sama. Hyuuga-sama."

A hand seal later, Itachi had disappeared. Shiki couldn't stop himself from admiring Itachi's almost flawless _**Shunshin**_.

With Itachi gone, Sarutobi turned to Hiashi. "I'm sure you, too, could use a few hours of sleep, Hiashi."

Those words told the Hyuuga leader that his role in that night's events was finished, and this time for good. However……

"May I…share a few words with Uzumaki-san before leaving, Hokage-sama?"

"Of course."

When Hiashi closed the door behind him, he was concerned by the fact that Naruto seemed to not have noticed his entrance. The boy clutched the bed sheets with his little fists; knuckles turned white and gritted teeth showed the inner turmoil that the boy had so valiantly tried to conceal from them before.

Hiashi hadn't shed a tear for two years, ever since his wife passed away. Sometimes, when he was alone and his thoughts drifted to blissful memories of her company, her devotion and her love, he could feel the beginning of tears forming in his eyes. He would never admit something like to anyone, of course.

It was then when Hiashi understood the difference between **refusing** to cry and **not being able **to.

There is a reason people cry, after all.

"There must be a lot in your mind right now, Uzumaki Naruto."

Naruto's head jerked in the direction of his voice. Even without his eyes to express emotion, Hiashi could tell Naruto had recognized his voice by the way his initially alarmed expression quickly relaxed and turned into a bitter smile.

"Ah, it's you." Naruto's words confirmed Hiashi's suspicion. He made an effort to ignore the boy's lack of proper manners when addressing an elder. In fact, he thought it was commendable the boy actually remembered his voice.

Naruto awkwardly scratched the back of his head under the bandages. "Looks like I do have a debt with you, huh, sir……uhh……who are you?"

Hiashi twitched. "……Hyuuga Hiashi."

Naruto frowned, but his expression quickly relaxed when he noticed that frowning intensified his annoying headache. "That name………I'm sure I've heard that name before, but………"

Hiashi's pulsating vein on his forehead grew as he watched Naruto shift through all sorts of "thoughtful" positions and expressions. The Hyuuga swallowed his pride and decided to let go of the fact that the blond brat in front of him didn't know the name of the most important figure in the most important family in Konoha. On his part, Naruto finally gave up trying to remember.

"Oh, whatever! Don't worry, Mr. H!"

Insert Hiashi twitch here.

"Uzumaki Naruto pays his debts! I don't know how, I don't know when, but consider it done! It's a promise!"

Hiashi expression relaxed (a little) after that. He considered himself fortunate that he wouldn't have to bring the topic himself. Naruto could hear Hiashi's approaching steps and he felt Hiashi's weight as he sat on the bed by his right side.

"That…is good to know, child. I'll be looking forward to it. Don't make me regret helping you."

Naruto found himself smiling despite everything.

"Hey, I like you, Mr. H! You're kinda cool!"

Hiashi's twitch returned in all its pulsating glory. The few children he occasionally interacted with would never call him "Mr. H" and would never tell him he was "kinda cool."

"………is that so."

That was when Naruto figured out he was talking to a complete stranger (whose face he couldn't even see). His saccharine grin became a sheepish and slightly embarrassed smile. "Umm, yeah………uhh, so………where am I, anyway?"

"I think Hokage-sama will do a better job explaining things that me."

"Aw, jeez! That Itachi guy didn't want to tell me a thing either! Why is everyone being so damn………secrety!?"

Hiashi figured out Naruto was trying to say "secretive."

"You are in good hands, Uzumaki-san. Now I'll take my leave, and Hokage-sama will tell you everything you might want to know." He said as he stood up to leave.

"Ah……okay………"

Hiashi was intrigued by Naruto's voice an expression. Was he…disappointed?

Only Kami knows why Hiashi did what he did next. We only know that he did, and it was the best thing he could have done that night, besides finding Naruto, of course.

Naruto's body stiffened when he felt a hand on his head. Naruto wasn't familiarized with non-forceful, non-aggressive human contact. As for Hiashi, he was doing something he remembered doing occasionally for his daughter in her earliest years. He remembered Hinata seemed to enjoy it.

"I am under the impression that you are strong, Uzumaki-san. I believe you are strong, and I have shared this opinion with the others." He said while he gently ruffled Naruto's spiky blond hair. "Do not disappoint me."

Before Naruto could react in any way, Hiashi was gone. And that's how it happened. Before a little short-haired girl with lavender eyes, before a Chuunin teacher at the Academy, before a Jounin sensei and a Genin team, Uzumaki Naruto was acknowledged by the leader of the greatest Clan in Konoha. With that rather bland gesture of affection (which for Hiashi wasn't even such, of course), the Hyuuga and the Uzumaki sealed an unconscious agreement. Hiashi didn't know it yet, but, because of that single action, Uzumaki Naruto would become the starkest protector of the Hyuuga Clan. Of course, there would be other things that would reinforce Naruto's allegiance to the Clan, namely one Hyuuga Hinata, one Hyuuga Neji, one Hyuuga Hanabi and one "Caged Bird" Cursed Seal (not necessarily in that order of importance), but Hiashi's actions that night would be the beginning of it all.

The Clan Leader didn't know it yet, but, by taking an alternate route home that night, he had truly hit the jackpot.

* * *

Naruto's little chat with Hiashi had done wonders with his overall mood, true, but that didn't change the fact that, well, he was blind. That was a pretty bad bummer. That's why, when the Hokage and the Houraisan couple entered the room a few minutes later, Naruto was again possessed by apathy. Saya decided to take the initiative because she has something the other two lack: maternal instinct.

"Hello, Naruto. My name is Houraisan Saya. You can call me Saya. I'm……well, I'm not really a medic-nin, but I've been taking care of you."

Naruto followed the voice as the woman walked around the bed and approached him from his left. He also heard footsteps from the right. He labeled the voice as that of a young woman. He had lots of questions in his head, so he decided to go with the one on top of the pile.

"What's a medic-nin?"

Saya laughed. It was a beautiful laughter that reminded him of birds singing. On a side note, from that point onwards, he'd always associate birds chirping with Saya's laughter, not some nails-on-a-blackboard Raiton jutsu.

As beautiful Saya's laughter might be, it didn't help him feel any less embarrassed. People (other than the old Hokage) always ignored his questions……and pretty much everything else he said.

"A medic-nin is a ninja who has specialized in healing techniques and medical treatment in general, aiding other ninja in preventing harm from befalling them."

"Ah…uh……cool……" While Naruto was honestly interested in Saya's answer, he was more interested in figuring out why the woman had actually answered his question. Hadn't she laughed at him a second ago?

Shiki, who was even better at reading people than Saya, answered Naruto's unasked question.

"Kid, do not fear asking questions. Never. There is no question that doesn't deserve to be answered. The only stupid questions you can make are those whose answer you already know. My wife wasn't laughing at you; she just didn't expect you to ask her that of all things."

"Then why doesn't anyone else want to answer my questions?"

The Third Hokage bit his lip. It seemed like a minute couldn't pass without him being reminded of the unfair circumstances of Naruto's life so far.

_Not anymore_. He promised himself.

Thankfully, Saya had the best answer to Naruto's question.

"Isn't it obvious? Because they're jerks!"

"Aaaah……"

Naruto nodded in understanding, as if Saya had just revealed the mysteries of the universe. Wherever he was, he liked the place. Whoever these people were, they seemed decent. However, he didn't fail to notice an intriguing detail.

"W-Wait, wife?"

"Yes. I am Houraisan Shiki, Saya's husband. I am honored to meet you, Uzumaki Naruto."

"Uh, sure…um…nice to meet you……wait, **wife**!?"

Shiki's eyes narrowed. "……is it that hard to believe?" He muttered, ignoring Saya's giggles and the Hokage's smirk.

"B-But! Aren't you, like, too young for that!?"

"Aren't you too young to know about marriage, anyway?"

"Marr-yi-ugh? What's that?"

Shiki groaned. _He doesn't even know what he's talking about……_

"Remind me to tell you about marriage some other time. The point is; Saya is my wife. We're married. We live together. Here. This is our house. We're in the Guest Room. Got it?"

Naruto grumbled. "Okaaay……but you didn't answer my question."

Shiki twitched. _A Kekkei Genkai. It's a Kekkei Genkai that makes his opponents extremely annoyed. It has to be. It's not a doujutsu, so……some kind of pheromone?_

"Saya and I are much older than we look……or sound. I'd tell you more, but we have other, more important matters at hand."

"You know, you can just tell me you don't want to answer………"

Shiki slapped his forehead. "Sarutobi, please……"

"Naruto." A visibly amused Hokage made his presence known to the blind blond.

"Ah, old man! You're here, too!" Naruto leaned closer to the right edge of the bed. "Seriously, what's the deal with this guy?" He whispered in a conspiratorial voice, pointing with his right thumb in the direction he inferred Shiki was standing.

"So now I'm 'this guy'?"

"There, there." Saya comforted her husband with a mocking voice.

The Hokage chuckled. "Naruto, Shiki and Saya are good friends of mine, and, yes, they are married. In fact, this might surprise you, but they are actually older than me."

Naruto had to pick his jaw up. "WHAT!? B-B-B-But……" He turned back to Saya. "……she doesn't sound like an old hag!"

Shiki winced. Calling his wife old: big mistake.

"Call me **that** again and I'll make you pee your brains out, brat." Saya growled, and Naruto promptly gulped. Her voice reminded him of that woman he guided to a back alley behind a fancy restaurant where a man she apparently knew was doing…something (wrestling?) with some teenage girl who thought a few loose pieces of cloth over her chest and around her waist made for good clothing.

"Uh, okay!" _SCARY!!!!_

Saya's voice immediately changed back to its usual sickly sweet mode. "Great!"

Naruto shivered and sweatdropped.

"Can we focus on the matter at hand, please!?" Shiki complained with an accompanying groan.

"What's the problem?" Saya shrugged. "Naruto's asking questions and we're answering them. Isn't that what we intended to do?"

"Alright, I give up." Shiki……gave up. The Hokage sat on the bed like Hiashi had done minutes before.

"How are you feeling, Naruto?"

Unfortunately, something in the old man's voice completely drained the room of the light mood they had created so far. Naruto offered the Hokage his best sad smile. He really felt like crap, but he didn't want the old man to keep blaming himself.

"My head hurts, uh…and……well……umm……I can't see."

The Hokage sighed. It had been a stupid question, after all. "I guess……I guess you'd like to know what happened, Naruto?"

"Um, old man……I…" Naruto was measuring his words with a teaspoon. "…I kinda already know what happened, you know."

Sarutobi couldn't stop himself from smirking. "Of course you do, Naruto. That was another stupid question from my part. I'm very sorry."

"Ah! No, no! No problem……uh……" Naruto lowered his head. Unable to look at anything, he didn't know where to "look" at. "……the person……"

"He's dead." Saya interrupted, answering Naruto's unfinished question. "He was found dead not too far from where Hiashi-kun found you."

Under his bandages, Naruto blinked. "Eh? W-Why? How? Did you…?"

"No, I didn't kill him." Saya explained, visibly amused by how he winced at the word "kill," even if she could only see the muscles of his forehead shifting. "We still don't know how or why he died, but I'll find out soon. Just rest assured that the bastard got what he deserved."

"Hmm……" Naruto certainly didn't look very assured. Probably because he had something else in his mind.

"What is it, Naruto?" The Hokage buried himself by opening his mouth.

"………why?"

* * *

Several hours later, Naruto couldn't sleep. He had been unconscious for hours. He had absolutely no desire to rest. He felt perfectly fine, even the headache that had assaulted him when he awakened had finally disappeared. The only problem left was his blindness. It was hard to come to terms with the fact that he wouldn't be able to see a thing ever again. It was terrifying. He knew sunrise was still an hour or two away, at least that's what the girl (he just couldn't picture her as the old woman the Hokage had said she was) had told him a few minutes before. He knew it was dark, but he just couldn't tell. Day and night had lost their meaning. Everything was darkness.

The Hokage had retired to (at least) get a few hours of sleep. He had promised to visit as soon as he could later that day. The highlights of their conversation before he left remained fresh in Naruto's head.

"_Why!? Who do these things happen to me? Why does everyone hate me? Ojii-san! Why won't you tell me?"_

As always, the old man had evaded the questions with a string of half-truths and words of encouragement, saying that no reason justifies what had happened to him and things like that. Naruto truly liked the old Sandaime, but sometimes he wished he were older, bigger and stronger so he could kick the old man's wrinkled ass. Even he, a seven-year-old, could tell the old Hokage was hiding things from him. Naruto knew the old man knew why everyone treated him like crap. The same thing happened when Naruto asked him about his parents. Like every other orphan, Naruto wanted to know about his progenitors. He wanted to know why they weren't there to love him, raise him and protect him. Every single time he asked, Sarutobi would dodge the question.

Seriously, there is a limit to good intentions.

Naruto could feel Saya's presence to his left. She had moved a seat to the bedside. Unlike the Hokage, the Houraisan couple claimed that they could manage a sleepless night. They obviously intended to stay with Naruto at least until he finally decided to get some sleep.

_Yeah, right, sleep. Keep dreaming._

Saya had already changed the sheets. Naruto had offered to help her, in the process proving that he had recovered enough to stand up and walk. While his aid ended up being more of a hindrance than anything else (having to work with his tact only), Saya had the patient of a saint and the two worked together until the job was done.

Currently, Naruto was seated on the bed, thinking and feeling bored as hell.

"Saya-neechan?"

Saya looked up from her lecture, a gift from the Sannin Jiraiya: the first draft of his upcoming first novel, _Icha Icha Paradise_. "Yes?"

"Umm……is Shiki-san around?"

"I'm here, kid." Shiki announced his presence from the desk he was working at. Naruto tracked his voice to the ten o'clock direction.

"Umm…………"

Silence followed. Saya returned to her book, Shiki returned to whatever he was working on (probably yet another seal). It didn't take Naruto long to lose his patience.

"Saya-neechan?"

"Yes?" The woman immediately replied, apparently undisturbed by Naruto's insistence.

"………do you know my parents?"

Shiki shot a sharp look at his wife. His face saying everything that needed to be said: _measure your words, Saya._

"Yes, I do. And no, I won't tell you about them."

Naruto immediately jumped on his knees. "What!? Why!?"

Saya offered a compassionate look Naruto couldn't see. "Because there is a reason you cannot know about your parents, Naruto. It isn't just old Saru's whim. There are very important, **secret** reasons nobody can tell you about them. I can only imagine how difficult it is for you, and I can only apologize. I'm really sorry, Naruto."

Naruto felt his heart break one more time (it was a feeling he was painfully used to), but his natural kindness didn't allow him to feel angry or hate Saya. He could feel the honesty in her voice.

"It……it's okay……I guess." He muttered. If he still had eyes, Saya would have been bombarded with the most tear-jerking supplicant face Naruto could muster. Of course, if he still had eyes, he would be crying.

The woman couldn't stop herself. The boy in front of her had suffered far more than most people five times his age. She didn't want to be one to add to that suffering. She had to, at least, offer him a possibility.

"However, Naruto, nothing stops you from finding the truth by your own means."

When she was sure she had caught the boy's attention, she continued.

"The answers you want are somewhere out there, Naruto. If you grow stronger and wiser you will find the path to those answers, I assure you."

Not even Saya's words and Naruto's unyielding determination helped him against the waves of uncertainty that ravaged his future cloaked in eternal darkness.

"B-But, what can I do!? I-I-I………" The weight of Naruto's blindness finally descended on him like the Death God's blade.

"……what am I gonna do now?"

Saya felt the desperation and despair that flowed out of Naruto. It pained her that such emotions could come from such a young life, who should be looking forward to an entire life ahead, instead of feeling and acting as if his life were already over. Once again, her thought-to-be-dead maternal instinct kicked in, and she hurried to console the devastated youngling, climbing on the bed and wrapping her arms around him from behind, offering him her shoulder and her chest for him to lean on. Unable to create tears, Naruto could only sigh sadly and return the embrace with surprising strength coming from such little and thin arms.

Saya eyed her husband smugly. "Jealous?" Naruto snorted. Couldn't those two be serious for a minute? Was he, Uzumaki Naruto, complaining about lack of seriousness?

Shiki smiled lovingly at his wife. "A little. Now, kid." He called for Naruto's attention. "What did you want to do? What were your plans……before all this happened?"

Uzumaki Naruto is, surprisingly enough, a hopeless optimist, despite having lived such a depressing past. It is precisely because of this that Naruto enjoys talking about the future, to the point that the mantle of sadness that had wrapped itself around him was ripped apart by the surge of emotion that possessed the boy in that moment. Saya was simply stunned by the ease with which Naruto could change from depressed to little-bundle-of-enthusiasm.

"A kick-ass ninja! A kick-ass ninja that everyone would know and respect!!! The best ninja in Konoha-no! The world's best ninja!!!"

Then again, Naruto's energy suddenly disappeared like a disrupted jutsu, and his face once again donned the mask of depression. Saya concluded that the kid's mind was a wreck. They had to do something about that, and soon.

"I……wanted to be ninja………"

"Why?" Shiki inquired. "Why a ninja?"

"B-Because!" Naruto stammered; something he had been doing a little too often that night. "Ninjas are cool, and strong! I'd be all kick-ass, and nobody would be bad with me……I know they'd probably still hate me for no reason and stuff, but……at least……I'd feel fine……with myself……I think………and maybe, maybe, they'd respect me! If I did good things, cool things, they wouldn't ignore me!"

"So, what you want is acknowledgement."

"Acknou……what's that?"

Shiki smiled. Conversing with children was so troublesome. "Acknowledgement. You want others to recognize you. You want others to know who you are, and respect you for that. You want people to say 'Hey, that's Uzumaki Naruto,' not 'Hey, it's the demon brat.' Am I right?"

Naruto nodded eagerly. "Yeah!"

"Then why a shinobi? Why not anything else? You can be acknowledged if you're good at whatever you do, no matter what it is."

Naruto, who had already let go of Saya (who still held him from behind), scratched the tip of his shin with his right index finger, in what would be known by those who became acquainted with him as the "Naruto Thinking Pose." It only took him a few seconds to come up with an answer.

"What else can I do? No one would give me a job. I want to be a ninja! Ninjas are strong, and I want to be strong! And it's the only thing I could be, so there!"

While Saya gently caressed his hair with her left hand and Naruto decided that he liked the feeling, even if her body felt kinda cold; Shiki digested Naruto's words. He was surprised by the amount of thought Naruto had put into his future, but he also understood it was to be expected. The future is the only thing Naruto could look forward to. And Naruto is still a child, and it's normal for children to have big dreams.

_And, as pathetic as it may sound, he is right. Nobody would give the "demon brat" a job……except maybe that ramen stand Saru told me about. As for his reasons to be a ninja, well, he IS a child……and I've heard worse._

"But now………" Naruto muttered sadly, his shoulders shaking, and his brain sending instructions to shed tears his body couldn't release.

"What am I gonna do now? I can't be a ninja anymore……I can't be nothing anymore………"

Shiki didn't even notice Naruto's grammatical wreck.

"Why not?"

Naruto would have rolled his eyes if he could. His muscles did the motion.

"Well, duh! I can't see shit!"

Shiki only narrowed his eyes, preferring to restrain from warning Naruto to watch his language. He only tolerated his wife saying "fuck" all the time because he loves her too much. He could always warn Naruto later. There were more important things in Shiki's mind at the moment. Namely, making sure Naruto didn't become a depressing bundle of emo-ness.

"How the heck can I be a ninja if I can't……see……a thing……?"

"Why not?"

Naruto moved his head to face Shiki's probable direction. Noticing the obvious lack of understanding, Shiki explained as best as he could.

"You have lost your eyes, Naruto, but that doesn't necessarily mean you are blind."

"I feel very blind right now!"

_Oh, great, he's discovered sarcasm. _"Brat, what I mean is; ninja are capable of all kinds of unbelievable feats. Ninja can summon all sorts of supernatural creatures; they can heal all but the nastiest wounds and cure all but the most extreme and rare illnesses; they can move at speeds faster than the normal eye; they can use jutsu that can level entire forests and reshape the landscape. Compared to that, a ninja that can do his job even when blind doesn't seem too farfetched."

"……ninja can do all that stuff? Cool!"

Shiki sighed. They'd have to work on Naruto's attention span, too. "The point is, Naruto, becoming a ninja even when blind is not impossible. Far from it, I'd say. Had you been born blind then it might have been impossible but, in your case, there's still hope. Lots of hope, considering your natural talent."

"………talent?"

"Yes, Naruto, talent. You are talented, brat, and I don't say that often. You can become a decent shinobi, if you feel like it."

It is true that Naruto just underwent a terrible and scarring experience. Of course, we're talking about Naruto here. He's the kind of person that will eventually see nothing but the good consequences of his tragedy. He had been acknowledged by Hiashi. He didn't know what to make of Itachi, but the Uchiha at least had yet to insult him or belittle him in any way. The old man had always been nice to him, with all his mistakes. The girl, Saya, had treated his wounds and comforted him with kind words and a tender hug. And now this guy, Shiki, was saying that he had what it takes to be a ninja, even with his new disability. At what cost, a pair of eyes?

Naruto wouldn't go as far as to say "good riddance," but he wouldn't dwell on the loss for too long, either. Naruto was, is, and will always be a person that faces things as they come. So he lost his eyes? Sure, there was the normal initial depression. Once that is done and over with, he faces the future with unbreakable resolve. That is what makes Naruto Naruto.

"So, what do I have to do!?" Any trace of depression or sadness suddenly gone; a disturbingly excited Naruto asked Shiki with a look that, had he still had his eyes, would have been described as "a look of adoration."

"Do you still want to be a ninja?"

"Of course! Ninjas are badass!!!! Blind ninjas must be……super badass!!!! I want to be super badass!!!!"

Saya giggled at Naruto's childish antics. Shiki was particularly amused, too.

_Well, that's an interesting use of __syllogism._

"Super badass!!!! Like Mr. H!!!!"

A long silence followed.

"Mr……H?" Shiki mentally did a quick review of every person Naruto knew and would probably label as "badass." The conclusion was obvious.

"You mean……Hiashi?"

Naruto nodded eagerly. The silence prolonged itself a few more seconds.

A minute later, a confused Naruto demanded to know what was so funny, his words reaching deaf ears as the Houraisan couple laughed like they hadn't laughed in decades.

* * *

Twenty or so minutes later, after Naruto had finally agreed to rest for an hour or two (sunrise wasn't too far away, anyway), Shiki and Saya engaged in one last conversation before succumbing to the most blissful pleasures of sleep (probably not much longer than an hour, though), Saya's earlier intentions of engaging in long rounds of sex long forgotten. It had taken a promise to start their "badass blind ninja" training right after breakfast for Naruto to settle down and sleep. Saya's subtle tapping of specific pressure point had helped, too.

"So, dear, when did you change your mind?" She said as she snuggled as close to her husband as possible. The couple shared the habit of sleeping in their underwear. Saya always said that brassieres were one of mankind's greatest inventions. Shiki always wondered what she meant by that. Not being a woman, he couldn't possibly understand.

"About what?"

"About taking care of Naruto."

"Hmm……" Shiki pretended to be thinking. With the lights out, his eyes closed and the feel of Saya's skin against his, it would be long before sleep claimed him. "……well, I made a promise to the Fourth. Of course, had Naruto chosen to not become a shinobi, the terms of my promise would have been rendered null and void………but lending a hand to the kid might prove to be useful."

"Such cold and harsh words." Saya said with a mocking tone. Shiki smiled mischievously and gently caressed Saya's lips with a finger, every once in a while dodging her attempts at engulfing it.

"You know I wanted him to be my successor. The Fourth, I mean. The lad had everything: talent, cunning, the habit of thinking outside the box………he would have become the greatest. The Sannin, Sarutobi………he would have stood above them all. He was already well on his way."

"So you intend to convert Naruto into the new Yondaime?"

"Hell no."

It took Shiki a while to figure out Saya was expecting him to say more.

"I'll help Naruto become whatever he wants to become. Whatever it is, I'll try to make him the best at that."

"And if he chooses to study Fuuinjutsu you won't complain, will you?"

"Of course not. I told you, I'm looking for a successor."

"Which brings me back to the question: why him?"

"First of all, he's a Jinchuuriki. That already puts him a notch above the average prospect. But, most importantly, he **has what it takes**, Saya!"

"He has motivation: the kid **wants **to become as great as he possibly can. He has the **talent**: if what you said it's true, his body works at its maximum potential and with his chakra capacity he could do things even Kage-level shinobi could only dream of. He has **wisdom**, the kind of wisdom you only gain by facing the cold, harsh reality; wisdom born of pain and struggling, like you and I struggled in our youth. And, most of all, he **knows** there's not easy, fast way to success, yet he is **ready** to do what it takes. He is blind, but he's willing to work, he's willing to train to jump that hurdle. He'll have to work ten times harder than any other shinobi aspirant, and the damn brat is** looking forward to it**! Not even the **other **dumb blond was so damn……enthusiastic."

"Naruto is top-quality shinobi material, Saya, and Konoha has been too stupid, too blind and too obnoxious to notice it. Well, guess what? I'm neither. How can you expect me to not want to mold that rough diamond into the most magnificent jewel? It will be my last and greatest project!"

"……last project?" Saya looked up at her husband's face. His eyes shone with an enthusiasm he only revealed during their love-making.

"Yes, Saya dearest, **our **last project. If there's someone who can do what needs to be done, it's that kid. After the appropriate preparation, of course. And when that is done and over with………"

"……we'll cease to exist."

They remained quiet for a minute, the two lost in thoughts of their own. They thought about their long overdue final death, wondering just how it would feel like. They thought about the kid sleeping in the neighboring room, while they quietly deposited their hopes and expectations on him. They would help him become the shinobi he wanted to be, and in return he would grant them closure. Closure and freedom.

Saya sighed and purred as her husband toyed with and caressed her hair, like he often did with his precious nekomata.

"Uzumaki Naruto, hmm………I guess we'll have to be used to having a child around."

"Well, you did say you wanted to give me children." Shiki said softly with a sly grin.

"But you know I like our privacy, Shiki, dear." Saya purred.

"Then you'll just have to try to be a bit quieter at night."

"Easier said than done."

"Oh, for Kami's sake, Saya………"

"Well, I can't help it, I'm a screamer! If the kid hears, we'll……wait, don't we have Privacy Seals in this bedroom, anyway!?"

After a six-seconds pause, Shiki's grin became a devilish smirk. "……got you."

Saya frowned, then gasped, then groaned, and then pouted. "Pervert." She muttered before relaxed again in his embrace.

"Saya……you, too, should start thinking about finding a successor."

Saya frowned. "I already have a successor: Tsunade, remember?"

"Tsunade took your theories and made them her own. I'm talking about your Taijutsu. Gai is good and everything, but I don't think he's up to learning **all **of your styles."

It was Saya's turn to grin. "No need to worry about it. I already have someone in mind."

"Really? Who?"

"Did you forget I, too, made a promise to someone?"

Shiki frowned and thought for a second before his eyes widened in recognition. "Oh……oooohhhh…………"

* * *

**Author's Notes: **alright, that's it for chapter three. I could have made it longer, but this is a good place to end it. Honestly, I don't like this chapter as much as the previous two.

The prologue and these two chapters were pretty much the setup. The story begins right now, with Naruto's "badass blind ninja training." Before you ask, no, this won't be one of those "OMG Naruto could kick the asses of all the other Genin before joining the Academy!!!" fics. Hell no. Shiki and Saya will make it perfectly clear. They do not intend to replace the Academy. They'll train him so that he's allowed to enter in the first place, because Naruto will have to prove he's perfectly capable of undergoing formal ninja training despite his disability to be able to join. Of course, this Naruto will undergo some changes when compared with canon Naruto, now that he'll receive a (decent) formal education and he'll have something remotely similar to a family, but I will (or at least I'll try to) keep Naruto's relative level away from the boundaries of overpowered.

Now, on the next chapter, Sarutobi shows some mean people who's boss, Itachi and Sasuke are introduced to ramen, Mr. H eats breakfast and Naruto adds two names to his list of future potential love interests. Oh, and **Tayuya** shows up!

……nah, not really.


	4. Day of Renewal: Rising World

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Naruto. I'm not Japanese. Not even Asian. End of disclaimer.

**Author's Note: **The original _**Lost Blue Eyes**_ was supposed to be a one-shot. However, readers claimed it left a taste of incompleteness, and some insisted I should write more. Hence I wrote more. However, if I fully intend to make this a multi-chaptered story, it needs a new name. The story is supposed to be about Naruto letting go of the pain and scorn of his past and looking forward to a future in which he overcomes his disability and becomes a great ninja and a better person. For this reason, a title such as "_**Lost Blue Eyes**_" does not fit with the soul of the story.

Hence, _**Lost Blue Eyes **_ends now. _**Phantasmagoria of Dichromatic Eyes **_begins.

* * *

_**Phantasmagoria of Dichromatic Eyes**_

**Chapter 1**

**Day of Renewal**** - Rising World**

Sarutobi had gone straight to the point the moment Houraisan Shiki sat down on a chair across his desk, a few minutes before sunrise in the Hokage Tower.

"So, my old friend, what are your plans for Naruto?"

A grin crept up slowly on Shiki's face. "So you figured it out."

"You hurt me, Shiki. I happen to be the Hokage."

"Yes, sometimes I seem to forget you **are** one of the world's greatest shinobi."

"Thank you, bastard. Now, talk."

Shiki shrugged. While most people would be eager to comply after hearing the Hokage's authoritative tone, Shiki couldn't possibly care less. "Saya will work on his perception and awareness, as well as his physical training. Hopefully he'll be able to hone his kinesthetic sense. We're also considering echolocation."

Sarutobi nodded. He believed he remember instances of blind people developing natural forms of echolocation all by themselves.

"Does she intend to teach him Taijutsu?"

"Don't think so. At least not before he learns the basics at the Academy."

"You two could teach him everything he would learn at the Academy and more."

"The Hyuugas could do the same with their children. So could the Uchihas or any other decent family with a shinobi tradition. Yet they still send their children to the Academy, and it's not because of the quality of its education or the compulsory Genin test. You know I hate stupid questions, Saru."

The Hokage nodded again. He had only wanted to know Shiki's opinion. The principal argument for the existence of the Konoha Shinobi Academy was the need for the shinobi-in-training to interact with their future teammates in a controlled environment and to develop "normal" bonds of friendship with them, effectively reinforcing the conception of Konohagakure as one big family that lives together and fights together. After all, it was that union and sense of loyalty, identity and belonging that made Konoha so strong. Sarutobi knew of this intrinsic mission of the Academy because he had imposed it himself. Of course, that didn't mean he was relegating actual ninja training as a secondary objective. The students were supposed to learn the absolute basics, after all. From that, their eventual Jounin teachers and families would handle the rest. In fact, most of the things ninja learned in their careers was self-taught or learned the worst and most painful way possible: in the middle of the everyday struggle for survival.

"You told me about Saya. What about you?" The Hokage insisted.

"I'll teach him how to use chakra, and I'll help him develop a jutsu that replaces his lost sight."

Sarutobi frowned, openly expressing his disbelief. "You are telling me you are expecting a seven-year-old with only the minimum knowledge of chakra to create a perception jutsu. That would be…what, B-Rank?"

"At least. I'll play it safe and say A-Rank."

"You are joking."

"Not in the slightest, Hokage-sama."

Sarutobi rubbed his temples. The last thing he needed was a headache so early. Shiki tilted his head and pulled two scrolls from his vest.

"You didn't have breakfast, did you, old monkey?"

Sarutobi growled. Shiki smiled and made a hand seal. A tray of steaming meat buns and a metallic gray bottle appeared on top of the scroll Shiki had unrolled on the Hokage's desk.

"Neither did I." The seal master declared before summoning two cups and filling them with iced tea from the gray bottle.

"Remind me why Fuuinjutsu isn't taught in the Academy, Shiki." Sarutobi muttered while he picked a meat bun with almost childish glee. Shiki knew his friend had said that as some sort of amusing comment, but he felt like answering anyway.

"For the same reason medic-nins are so rare, Saru. Because seals demand serious study, almost-undivided devotion and a complete and extensive knowledge of the theories involved combined with cunning intellect, creativity and lots of intuition. That's why most shinobi only bother with weapon storage seals. Most of those so-called 'seal masters' rarely use their seals in combat, except for weapon seals, of course. Not even Jiraiya. Tsunade's knowledge of seals is very specific, and Orochimaru……"

The Sandaime Hokage looked at somewhere far away. He was quite versed in Orochimaru's use of seals. But he had to admit Shiki made a very valid point. Other than weapon seals, he didn't know many other applications of Fuuinjutsu in ordinary combat, which explained why most shinobi versed in seals were also weapon specialists. His successor, the Fourth Hokage, had come up with _**Hiraishin no Jutsu**_, the single technique that built his reputation as the Yellow Flash of Konoha and the object of Iwagakure's hatred. Houraisan Shiki rarely used **anything **other than seals, in the extremely rare occasions Sarutobi had seen him fight at all, and the old Hokage had learned to admire, acknowledge and, to a certain point, fear Shiki's **Houraisan Mugen Kekkai**. The combination of sealing techniques, barrier techniques and ranged weaponry Shiki had developed and mastered for use in actual battle situations was, in lack of a better word, scary. Sarutobi had defeated it ages ago, true, and he was very confident he could beat anything Shiki threw at him, but that didn't mean he'd like to face it again.

"What about Naruto? Will you teach him Fuuinjutsu?"

"Only if he wants to."

"And you want me to believe you won't influence his thoughts in any way that might lead to instill a desire for learning Fuuinjutsu."

Shiki smirked almost evilly. "What makes you think I can convince you of anything, old monkey?"

"Ah, so true, so true……"

This was a usual conversation between these two: what could be a one-minute dialogue took ten times longer with the two going on all sorts of absurd tangents.

"Anyway, Shiki, about this perception jutsu……what do you have in mind?" The Hokage eventually dragged the conversation back to its original topic. They didn't have much time.

"Well, that pretty much depends on his elemental affinity. If he's a Fire, we'll have to work with body heat. If he's a Lightning; electric and magnetic fields. If he's an Earth; tremor-sense. If he's a Wind, then he's ridiculously lucky."

"Why?"

"Wind temperature, wind speed, mechanical waves……all those things can aid in perception, and we could combine them into a single omni-perception jutsu. Nowhere near as good as a doujutsu, but very good nonetheless."

"And you think Naruto can pull it off."

"We have time, and the boy's got spirit. I can tell his mind is still a wreck because of the whole ordeal, but he's looking forward to training, and training might be what he needs to get over the shock. Also, he gets to stay away from the people that hate him, and Saya is fond of the brat. She never got over the unable-to-have-children thing."

Sarutobi had gotten used to the Houraisan couple's quirks and habits a long time ago. Their ways of speech, their gestures and their attitude at times were completely random. Sometimes they acted their age and behaved like the respected elders they are supposed to be (mostly when it was convenient to them). Sometimes they behaved like teenagers. It was as if their actual age and their apparent age clashed and collided creating an unstable personality.

Sarutobi had figured out a long time ago that not everything was right in the heads of those two.

"Alright. Go for it. If you can really help Naruto somehow make it through this, I'll be more than happy to help you in any way I can."

"I'll need permission to get Naruto's possessions."

"Yes, yes, that won't be a problem. I'll handle the paperwork; it's not much that needs to be done, in any case."

Shiki offered a rare kind smile to his younger friend.

"You really want to make it up to the brat, don't you?"

"Yes, and I have every intention to."

Shiki nodded and finished his cup of tea. "Good. I take it the council will have to be informed of your intentions?"

The Hokage's expression immediately changed. "Yes, yes……and that's why I called you here so early, my good friend."

Shiki narrowed his eyes. There it was again.

The old grandfather of Konoha was gone. The cranky, moody, sometimes impatient old man was gone. The man Saya once called "one of the few perverts I can't beat the crap out of" didn't exist. His wrinkles had changed from marks of age to symbols of wisdom, knowledge, cunning, power and triumph; war scars that symbolized the many obstacles he had crushed and the fact he had survived six decades and still going.

Time wasn't kind to him, but his eyes still reminded Shiki of that loud, bratty, vulgar but incredibly cunning young lad the First and the Second turned into one of the greatest shinobi in history. The flame that had apparently disappeared from those eyes the day Kyuubi was sealed had returned with a vengeance. It wasn't about Konoha anymore. Paperwork was still boring. Assigning missions was still boring. Meeting with the clans was still boring. No, it wasn't about Konoha anymore.

It was about a young blond with a wondrous smile that had been broken forever. Without his beautiful cerulean eyes, it just would never be the same anymore. It was about a young orphan who had been cursed with a life he didn't deserve; a boy he had been unable to protect. It was about that boy and, by extension, about the future generations of Konoha. He couldn't do anything about the current and past generations anymore, and he had no intention to. The clans and families were lost to him. No matter what he did, the Hyuugas would still be haughty (there seemed to be hope for Hiashi, though), the Uchihas would be pretentious bastards, the Aburames would be "those bug freaks" in everyone's eyes, the Nara would be lazy, and (almost) everyone would hate Uzumaki Naruto. But, if he could at least ensure a decent future for that demon vessel, if he could sow seeds of union and loyalty among the new generation, Naruto's generation, if he could at least guide them on their first steps through a path of righteous growth and loyalty to the ideals of the Leaf Village, then he would have succeeded. He would die in peace.

"_Konoha is just a name, just a city. Cities can be rebuilt. Konoha is not what I protect."_

The words of the Fourth ringed clearly in Sarutobi's head. At long last, the old Hokage understood what the **other **dumb blond truly meant. The Fourth was gone. The Third didn't have much time left, either. He might not have a candidate for Godaime, yet, but he could at least make sure his legacy, ideals and dreams lived on.

Just for that, the Professor, the God of Shinobi, would arise one more time.

"Shiki, can I ask you a question?"

Shiki released a breath he didn't even know he had been holding. It wasn't the first time he had experienced the pressure of Sarutobi's presence, but he hadn't felt it with such strength since at least seven years before. He had to admit he was impressed. It wasn't Genjutsu, or what some called "killing intent," or any other psychological trick. It was pure, undiluted presence; charisma in its most raw form.

It was another reason Sarutobi was vastly stronger than him. With that sort of presence, the old Sandaime could end most battles before they even began. Shiki was simply incapable of doing that.

"I……jeez, Saru, you've asked me thousands of questions since the day we met. What's stopping you now?"

"It's called manners, my friend. Unlike you, I haven't forgotten you are my elder."

"Stop it, monkey, you are making me feel my age. It's not nice. Just ask away."

Sarutobi nodded. He couldn't, he didn't want to; imagine how it would feel to be as old as Shiki was.

"Why are you helping Naruto? And I mean the **real **reason. I know you, and you are not doing it out of the kindness of your heart, or to sate Saya's motherly instincts."

Shiki lowered his head. _Now you __**really**__ are making me feel my age, Saru………_

"Saru, I'm doing it for……almost the same reasons you are."

"Explain yourself."

Shiki nodded and raised his head to look at the Hokage in the eyes, to show he was being completely honest.

"First, there's that stupid promise I made to that blond idiot, the Fourth."

"That doesn't mean anything." Sarutobi interrupted rather harshly. "You said it yourself: with Naruto's loss of his sight, you could have forgotten all about him and the promise."

"True. Which leads to my other reason."

"I'm running out of time, Saru."

Shiki explained before the Hokage could open his mouth to ask. "While the contract that binds me to this world does not have a time limit, my body does. I've simply lived much longer than this body can handle. At long, long last, I'm dying, my friend."

Sarutobi nodded, but his expression was grim. Even for someone as long-lived as Shiki, death was a fearsome thing.

"How much longer, Shiki?"

"Twenty, thirty years, tops."

"Well, at least you'll still be able to attend to my funeral."

Both men chuckled bitterly.

"In any case, there are a few……unfinished businesses I'd like to deal with before my time comes. Unfortunately, because of the rules, I need a proxy to aid me with some of them."

"………Orochimaru?"

Shiki sighed sadly. He knew how painful it was for the old teacher of the Sannin. "Yes, Orochimaru is one of them."

"So, you're telling me you are going to train Naruto to kill Orochimaru."

"Among other things."

"What kind of things?"

Shiki smiled slyly. "………secret things."

Sarutobi cursed under his breath. "So……" He seemed to be chewing the word. "……any other reason you'd like to share with me."

"Well, there is another reason……a more selfish one."

The Hokage only raised an eyebrow, to which Shiki replied. "The Houraisan Family Techniques."

"The Houraisan name will die with me and Saya. I don't want the same thing to happen to my jutsu. You know I intended to give them to the Fourth. He was the only one with the skill and the knowledge to learn my most special techniques."

"So you want to make Naruto your successor?"

Shiki nodded. "I'd be insane to give them to anyone from any village's shinobi clans, and my jutsu aren't Jiraiya's thing. If there isn't an appropriate heir, why not making one?"

"So you do intend to teach him Fuuinjutsu!"

"Only if he wants to."

"………and you'll make him want to."

"Precisely."

Sarutobi chuckled. "Houraisan Shiki always gets what he wants, doesn't he?"

"I've only wanted two things in my life: Saya, and a long, fulfilling life, and I was blessed with both……or cursed, I'm not sure anymore. Is it so wrong to ask for a third thing?"

The old Hokage shook his head. "No, my friend, not at all. I'm grateful you want to teach Naruto your art."

"You're only glad it's not going to end in another village."

"I won't lie to you, Shiki."

"……you're supposed to say something else after that, Saru."

Both men chuckled together one more time. "What about Saya?"

"Saya would probably outlive me; she has a stronger body."

"You said 'would'."

Shiki smiled. It was one of those rare smiles Sarutobi had seen only rarely.

"_I love you!" Saya exclaimed between sobs. "When you die, I die with you."_

"……that's what she said."

"I guess that's Saya for you."

Shiki blushed, surprising Sarutobi one more time. "Yes, I guess."

"Does she have plans of her own?"

"Of course." Shiki declared, making sure to let the other know he wasn't going to say another word. With that, the Hokage's expression returned to his calm, stern and penetrating gaze. Back to business.

"Very well, then. Listen well, Shiki, this is my plan………"

* * *

When the first ray of sunshine passed through her bedroom's lone window, Hyuuga Hinata woke up.

The Hyuugas are a clan of early birds, and Hinata, as the heiress, had to be the epitome of earliness. She didn't mind, though. If anything, it was one of the few things she actually enjoyed about being the heiress.

Yes, Hinata likes to wake up early. She liked it even more that day. The reason? Hinata had changed, or at least she had decided to change, and they say the first step to change is to find the will to do so.

Her mind is the only place where she can be completely honest, and her honest thought is that she does not like being the heiress. Most of the lessons are uninteresting. Not that she's bad at them, though, but, honestly, most of the things they try to teach her are way over her head. She was sure she had more random knowledge in her head than any other child her age. She was definitely sure her lexicon was ten times greater than any normal six-year-old child's. She was absolutely sure no other child her age even knew the word "lexicon."

Then there was the new physical training that begun a few months before, at the same time she joined the Academy (Hinata quickly remembered she doesn't have classes that day). When she showed she was able to channel chakra and activate the Byakugan, she thought it was quite the accomplishment. Apparently, no one else did. They had recently introduced her to the clan's Taijutsu style, the famous _**Jyuuken**_. It was……painful.

How do they expect her to do it right if she still can't even see the circulatory system clearly? Obviously, her attempts at using the Gentle Fist so far have been rather pitiful. She does her best, and she's sure her father knows she's doing her best. Apparently, for the heiress, the best is not enough.

Hinata doesn't hate her father. She loves him, really. She'd love him more if he acted his role every once in a while, though. She knows Hiashi was deeply hurt by her mother's death. She was hurt, too! It would have been better for both father and daughter if they had mourned their loss together. Unfortunately, Hiashi seemed to have chosen to wrap himself in a diamond cocoon of coldness and disdain. A part of her thought her father trained her so harshly because he was tired of being Clan Leader and he wanted to be replaced as soon as possible.

Which brings us to the night before.

Hinaa could swear she hadn't seen such levels of emotion in her father's expression since her mother's death. Somehow, the blond-haired kid (Naruto, she quickly remembered……funny name, she thought) had dug up something her father had buried over two and a half years before. He had done something she had been unable to do. She had to admit: she envied him, if just a little. She wasn't going to ask anyone to gouge her eyes out to check her father's reaction any time soon, though. Besides, she **knew**. She had learn a lot more in those few instants she spent with Naruto than in years of boring lessons in etiquette and other noble crap.

It wasn't what happened to him that caught her father's attention (at least not completely). It was his will; the way he clutched his life with those tiny little fingers of his, the way he refused to leave this world as a faceless name whose departure would be celebrated and then forgotten, and, most of all, the fact that, even after resigning to his dire fate, he still had it in himself to care about others.

Eventually, she'd think about his smile, tainted by the horrid remains of his eyes crying blood and rainwater, and she'd recognize it as the horrendous sight it was. However, horrible as it was, she'd never forget it as the moment that changed her life; for the better.

That same night, before sleep claimed her, she decided she wanted to be like that boy. She wanted to possess that will that was capable of caring about others even in the face of certain death. She promised herself she would actually strive to be that kind of person. She was tired of quiet; she was tired of shy; she was tired of pitiful. She was tired of many, many other things, but she'd get to those eventually. For now, she'd work on quiet, shy and pitiful.

Yes. That night, a new Hinata was born………

………or so she said.

"Good morning, Hinata-sama."

"EEK!!!"

Dragged out of her inner motivational speech by a familiar voice, she was shocked to find out that at some point she had gotten off her bed, dressed herself, made her bed and walked out of her bedroom. Currently, she was standing with her back against a wall, her right hand on her chest, breathing heavily and feeling her heart fluttering like a hummingbird, and not in a good way. Basically, whoever had greeted her had scared the living shit out of her.

"Y-Ye-Ye-Yes?" Hinata's stutter was particularly extreme that morning; while the psychological construct that had finally taken shape in her mind screamed the very few curses she knew at her for acting like a scared little rabbit. For simplicity's sake, we'll call it "Inner Hinata." We could say it's her consciousness growing up before the rest of her.

_Calm down! Don't forget! New Hinata, new Hinata!!!_

"The Hyuuga heiress should be more aware of her surroundings." Hinata finally recognize the voice and the face as the same young adult that had taken her to the house at her father's order last night. While he was definitely scolding her, his face showed a kind smile which helped her feel more at ease. Hinata had a very good relationship with most people from the Branch House. Where do you think she got the few dirty words she knows (but hasn't used……yet)?

"Y-Yes……" _Good, but you can do better._

"I have been ordered to accompany you until you decide to eat breakfast, Hinata-sama. Would you like to go now, or do you have anything else in mind?"

Hinata's body froze. The young man was expecting something from her; an answer, to be precise. She didn't like responsibilities, not even the simplest ones, such as issuing orders.

_Don't be a coward! Come on, it's just a question, you can do this._

Hinata decided to test the waters. "……father?"

"Hiashi-sama arrived quite late. He's still resting, but I am sure he'll wake up soon."

The girl lowered her head, processing the information she had just acquired. The last time she had seen her father, she had left him with the boy, Naruto. Now she's been told her father had stayed awake until very late. What was he doing? What happened to Naruto? Why do her veins pop out in that disgusting way when she activates Byakugan?

So, what to do? She decided she wanted to have breakfast with her father. She hoped he told her something about Naruto, because she was sure she would be unable to ask him about the boy herself. So, she had to look for a way to spend the idle time before the morning meal.

"Your name, please?" _Alright! Confidence, confidence!_

The subtle shift in the male's expression told Hinata she was doing something right. "Hyuuga Sendai, Hinata-sama."

Hinata nodded, working her posture and her expression in the most regal way her little body could muster.

"Well then, Sendai-san, would you help me pick a few flowers from the garden?"

The man blinked, and Hinata cheered mentally. He definitely didn't expect that. However, he was well trained. "I'd be happy to, Hinata-sama."

* * *

Waking up was an unsettling experience for Naruto. He had just gotten used to waking up to the aged ceiling of his new apartment. From that day onwards, he would wake up to see absolutely nothing.

Naruto had always feared the darkness, to a point. He strongly believed that, with enough power, he could defeat any enemy, even those which lacked a corporeal form, like the loneliness of lacking friends or a family, and the scorn and open hatred of the villagers of Konohagakure. Things such as evil, loneliness or emptiness mean little to his infant mind. Naruto was a person that lived for the day, and his undeveloped brain had too many mundane things to worry about to care about the most invertebrate aspects of reality. In that aspect, Naruto is a paradox. Humans tend to fear what they don't understand. Naruto sees no point in fearing that which he cannot even bother to try to understand.

This is why he, in a way, feared the smothering, physical darkness: because, in the darkness of his empty, dirty room, his mind grows in awareness and grants him a terrifying understanding of truths better left unknown. In the darkness, in those fatuous moments of cursed enlightenment that predate blissful sleep, Naruto is painfully reminded of everything he has ever wanted and life has denied to him. In those moments, his mind cries, and his subconscious tortures him by showing him dreams of those things. In that way, the darkness, and his own mind, hurt him more than any villager.

And now, because of the deranged outburst of some psycho, he would be forced to face that darkness for the rest of his life.

Not for the first or the last time, Naruto felt his mood sinking in the gutter. He doubted he'd ever be able to return to a semblance of an ordinary life. The fact that his life before blindness wasn't really ordinary didn't help.

However, this is Naruto we are talking about. Even at his early age, he knew the importance of attitude.

"Hey, hey, knock it off already!!!" He whispered to himself, slapping his cheeks for good measure.

Quickly organizing his thoughts, he remembered everything that had taken place the night before, and he had to admit it had been quite an eventful night. He remembered Uchiha Itachi, the old man Hokage, Mr. H and the Houraisan "couple" (he still found it hard to believe they are a couple). Then he remembered his last conversation with the couple before he agreed to sleep for a while.

Training.

At the very early age of seven, training was already his favorite word……after ramen, and closely followed by "jutsu."

"Oooooohhhh!!!!" Naruto exclaimed in a way that, to the knowledgeable, would be quite reminiscent of one future Rock Lee. "Training!!!"

"Yes, training."

Naruto's head jerked to his right. Saya, wife of Houraisan, stood under the doorframe, looking at Naruto with an amused smile. She had already changed to her everyday clothes: a short-sleeved ankle-length butterfly-patterned black cheongsam. It was a shame Naruto couldn't see Saya's clothes, for they were quite appealing to the eye. A mandarin collar with a flowery knot button displayed Saya's lithe and narrow neck. The cheongsam possessed a semi-transparent effect at Saya's upper chest and back, playfully teasing the observant by revealing the beginning of Saya's small but firm breasts, and the main piece itself was a semi-transparent black silk jacquaral of butterfly patterns with see-through effect of the fuchsia-colored inner lining. Two very high side slits proudly displayed a magnificent pair of legs, toned by years of care and the continuous practice of taijutsu. Fuchsia piping went along the collar, the cuffs, the slits and the lap rims.

All in all, a very elegant choice of dressing.

"Saya-neechan."

"Good to see you're up early, Naruto, I like that."

Naruto grinned as if he had just won a year's supply of ramen. He is truly a sucker for praise.

"You didn't feel my presence, did you, Naruto?"

The boy shook his head. Saya grinned, admiring the boy's blatant eagerness in every single of his actions, even shaking his head.

"Don't worry, we'll work on that." She concluded. "So!" She clapped rather loudly, surprising Naruto and claiming his undivided attention. "Training, right?"

Even without eyes, his body language showed his eagerness to begin. Saya concluded Naruto had already associated Training Badassery.

"Alright, Naruto, training begins now. I'm in the middle of making breakfast. While I get breakfast done, you will walk around the house and try to get a feel of the place. Take it slow, be careful and **don't break anything**. Deal?"

"Deal!" Naruto nodded. Saya chuckled, and Naruto could hear her firm steps as she walked away.

"Alright, let's do this!" Only Naruto can be so enthusiastic at doing something like, well, walking.

Of course, even walking was a new experience for Naruto. While walking itself was not a problem (he hadn't lost his sense of balance), he easily understood what Saya had tried to say by "taking it slow." He was already hated enough, and he didn't want his new friend Saya-neechan to hate him because of his unavoidable clumsiness. So, he advanced very carefully, slowly swinging his arms around to find possible obstacles and making sure the space before him was safe before making the next step.

The first thing he did was exploring what he already called "his room." He already knew the door was to the right (looking from the bed). The room turned out to be spacious (to his standards). He could make five (normal, not long) steps from one wall to the other and six steps from the door to the large closet against the opposite wall.

"I don't need this thing……" Naruto muttered while touching around the immense wooden closet. "I don't have many clothes………"

Other than the exaggeratedly (once again, to his standards) large closet, Naruto (painfully) found a desk aligned against the rightmost wall (if we take the door as the "south wall"), a small bedside table with a strange glass lamp with a flowery shape. Later that evening Saya would show him that the lamp could work with both chakra and oil.

"Never, NEVER! Mix both." Saya will warn him. Of course, it was a matter of time after Naruto learned to mold chakra before he tried. The explosion and the subsequent fire were both very impressive, and they gave Naruto a very on-the-spot demonstration of the usefulness of Suiton jutsu, courtesy of an angry Shiki.

Besides the closet, the desk and the little table, there was nothing but the single bed that took a sizable chunk of bedroom space for itself. The head of the bed leaned against the left wall and the opposite end was pretty much lodged on the room's center.

Leaving the room and closing the door behind him (and feeling a sudden and rapidly-growing urge to use the bathroom), Naruto touched around, figuring out that he was in some sort of passage that extended to both sides. Deciding to go to the right and supporting his left arm on the wall opposite to his room's door, he quickly found another door. It was locked.

"Saya-neechan?" Naruto inquired rather loudly, and Saya replied from somewhere far behind and a little to his left.

"Shiki's studio is locked, Naruto. You are not supposed to go in there without his permission. Please understand. He keeps……important and private things in there."

"Ah, alright." Naruto immediately made a mental note to stay away from that room. While his curiosity is second to no one else's he also knew better than to intrude in the private matters of the person who was allowing him to stay in his house. He still didn't know what to make of Houraisan Shiki, but he knew he didn't want to be in Shiki's bad side.

Six or so steps later he made it to another door. Touching around brought him an undeniable feeling of relief. It was the bathroom!

It didn't take him long to find the toilet. Wisely choosing to sit down on it, Naruto eagerly and happily found hygienic relief. Using the toilet proved to be easy. Washing his hands? Not so. The trouble lied in finding the soap, which led to his curious hands to knock and drop all kinds of things nearby before he found the necessary object. When kneeling to try to find and pick up the dropped objects, he slammed his forehead on the edge of the wash basin. Screaming bloody murder, his face met the walls more than once while he looked for the dropped articles. The good thing, if it can be considered such, was that after finding all the objects (or so he thought) he had a very good idea of the layout of the room. From the door, the sink, toilet and bathtub all were placed against the right wall, in that order. There was also a shower, which occupied all the available space in the back of the room, from the bathtub to the left wall. He was surprised to see that the bathroom, like every other bedroom, was made entirely in wood: floor, walls and ceiling. He wondered how that worked, namely, how they made the wood impervious to water.

The rightmost wall (again, from the door) of the bathroom coincided with the end of the corridor. Turning around and walking back the way he came, he found another, larger bedroom next to "his own." He (correctly) assumed it belonged to Shiki and Saya. His enjoyment of the fabulously large bed was interrupted by Saya's call for breakfast.

Naruto almost crashed with Saya near the end of the passageway, but the woman caught him in time and slowly led him to the dining table: a very low, round table large enough for four people to eat comfortably. He complained when Saya said she was going to feed him, claiming that he was perfectly capable of doing it himself. That's how he learned one of his life's most important lessons: no matter what you say, you can't stop Saya. He'd eventually figure out it wasn't just Saya, but all women.

The woman clad in black and purple described him the layout of the rest of the Houraisan Family Grounds while she shoved a weird metallic thing she called a "spoon" down his throat.

"The kitchen is right behind me. I'll eventually show you where everything is so that you can prepare your own meals. There's a wall behind you that separates this kitchen-dining room from the living room. The living room has two large armchairs and a couch. We only use it on those rare occasions we have visitors. We used to welcome visits more often before. Nowadays only Sarutobi comes here once or twice a month. Anko-chan and Gai also show up every once in a while, so you'll eventually meet them. There aren't many decorations or fancy things, so there's little risk of your breaking anything. Oh, and the piano is to your right. Any questions?"

"What's a piano?"

Saya blinked. "Oh, I always forget. You don't see those kinds of things over here. For now let's just say it's a big thing I use to make music. I might show you later if you are a good boy. Anything else?"

Naruto shook his head before swallowing a mouthful of rice with some effort. "Nope!"

"Good. Now, 'aaah'"

The embarrassment aside, Naruto realized it was the first time since he had memory that he wasn't eating alone. The orphanage didn't really count. It might have been stacked with noisy children, but it might as well have been completely deserted. Ichiraku Ramen always seemed unusually devoid of clients whenever he showed up. It was also the first time someone cooked **for him** and only for him……without transference of money involved, that is. Not like he could blame old man Teuchi, though; cooking ramen is his job, after all.

"Ne, Saya-neechan." Naruto managed to utter before she shoved another spoonful of rice in his mouth.

"Hmm?"

"Where is Shiki-san?"

"He left a while ago to meet with Hokage-sama, probably to arrange all things for your stay here."

Naruto scratched the right side of his head under the bandages. "I'm……really staying here?"

Saya snorted. "Well, if you want to train here, you have to stay here. It's not like you can make the trip between this place and your little shack. You are…well, you know, kind of……well, blind."

Naruto pouted. It wouldn't be the first or the last time Saya truly lamented the loss of Naruto's eyes. She was sure his pouting face must have been bloody cute. She wouldn't be the only one to do that, either.

"I know." He mumbled. The volume of his grumbling increased when Saya patted his head rather rudely.

"Ah, don't be like that. After we are done with you you'll be grateful you don't have eyes."

"Really."

"Really. So, eat your breakfast. You could use a bath, too."

"What about-"

"Training? Everything in due time, Naruto."

After breakfast (rich in calcium and other minerals necessary for Naruto's underdeveloped skeleton), Naruto showed Saya that he knew his way to the bathroom. After showing him how to use the shower (Saya said they didn't have time to fill the bathtub) and where the soap (and the shampoo, if he wanted some) was placed, Naruto was perfectly capable of taking a shower by himself.

"You'll have to wear the same clothes until Shiki bring your things from your apartment. Oh, and we're buying you new clothes." She had left before he could complain. "When you are done, wait for me outside the house."

Twenty minutes later (Naruto took his time); Naruto stepped through the main entrance and closed the door behind him. The avalanche of scents that assaulted his nostrils appalled him.

Naruto's sense of smell wasn't nearly as good as an Inuzuka's, but it was fairly better than an ordinary human's, and it allowed him to distinguish some of the many different aromas that filled the air around him. Naruto had always liked flowers. He liked the idea of beauty being so fragile; beauty being something that needed to be protected. That's why he liked taking care of plants and flowers. Besides, somehow, gardening helped him relax; something Naruto didn't do very often.

"Don't move!" Saya exclaimed from somewhere far ahead. Naruto did as told, leaning his back against the closed door while he enjoyed the wonderful scents and the sounds of nature. Where in Konoha were they, anyway?

Five or so minutes later, Saya was by his side.

"Other than the house we live in, there are two other buildings and a greenhouse. There's a flower field in front of ours, made and taken care of by yours truly. Now, hold my hand, Naruto. Training begins now."

Naruto's gasp and the wide grin that coated his face almost made Saya squeal. She was definitely going to enjoy this "raising Naruto" thing.

They slowly walked away from the house; Saya guiding Naruto so that he wouldn't step on the flowers or end up kissing a tree. The Houraisan wife explained the basics of what would be Naruto's training.

"Alright, the deal goes like this. You'll wake up at sunrise. You'll spend mornings with me. Tomorrow I'll teach you some basic exercises I expect you to perform every morning before and after breakfast from now on. After fitness training, we'll do perception training until lunch. Shiki will train you in the afternoons. I have absolutely no idea what he plans to do with you, only that it involves chakra. Whatever it is, it's training for allowing you to see without eyes."

"Cool!" Naruto had many questions already at this point, but he knew he had to wait until Saya was done talking.

"Yes, very. Between all that training, we will be teaching you everything else."

"Everything else?" Naruto tilted his head.

"You know, all the things a decent person must know: numbers, nature, history, laws, geography, house chores; general knowledge."

"Ah……"

"We'll eventually hit the extra things all ninja SHOULD know: politics, strategy, a few tidbits of economy……very boring, but VERY useful stuff."

Naruto nodded eagerly. He wasn't as stupid as to think that being a ninja was just cool weapons, cool jutsu and lots of heroics. His life had been harsh enough; reality had been slammed on him **hard**. At least Saya-neechan was honest: she would be teaching him more than a few boring things. But Uzumaki Naruto can take more than some boring lessons. He was going to become a kick-ass ninja, and that's it. However……

"When do I learn how to fight and…umm……do ninja stuff?"

Saya smiled. She had been expecting that question.

"Naruto, you cannot walk without tripping or bumping on something. What makes you think you can learn anything remotely ninja-related?"

"Auu………"

"Besides, you are supposed to learn those things at the Academy, Naruto. That's why we have to make sure you can join the Academy in the first place, right?"

If anything, Naruto could understand simple logic. "……right!"

"There. You have to become able to act independently. You have to prove you can perform just as if you had your eyes. That is our purpose. Formal ninja training comes after that, got it?"

Naruto nodded, and Saya didn't resist the urge to mess with his spiky blond hair. Naruto groaned when he felt Saya's hand turning his hair into an even bigger mess.

"It won't be easy; Naruto, but Shiki and I agreed to train you because we know you can do it."

"Of course!"

"That's the spirit. So, any questions?"

"Yep! What's per……perception training?"

"What we are going to begin right now."

"Really?"

"Really. So, next question?"

"Ah……okay. Umm……about that 'chakra' thing……I've heard people talk about it, and I know it's a ninja thing, but………"

"Right, chakra. If you don't mind, I'll leave the explanation to my husband. I'm sure he'll teach you lots about chakra in the afternoon. For now, I can tell you that chakra is what makes ninja different from ordinary people, or more precisely, the ability to mold, shape and manipulate chakra. Chakra is what allows ninja to do all those amazing things ordinary people cannot."

Naruto and Saya walked in silence for a minute, neither uttering a word other than when Saya guided the boy through the thick sea of trees that made Training Area 69. Before Naruto could ask about their training, Saya decided to get things started.

"This morning you'll join me as I run some errands. You will train while we do this."

"How?"

"It's perception training, Naruto. It doesn't involve any straining physical effort and it doesn't involve chakra……yet, so you can do it whenever you want. Sooooo……shall we get started?"

Naruto nodded even more eagerly than before. "Sure!"

"Alright!" Saya giggled, infused with Naruto's enthusiasm. This training was like nothing she had ever done before. "So, Naruto, have you ever been told about the five senses?"

Naruto wrinkled his nose and made a strange gesture with his mouth. "Uhh……I think……at the orphanage……"

"Smell, taste……" Saya cued and Naruto would finish.

"……touch, hearing and sight! Yeah!"

"Yes, those are the five. However, you must know there are other senses. In particular, there are two other senses you must know of."

"The first one is the **vestibular sense**, which allows you to perceive **balance** and **acceleration**. I think you know what I mean by balance, right?"

Naruto nodded. He had done a lot of balancing ever since his pranking days began. For a second he wondered if he would be able to pull another of his pranks ever again.

"Acceleration is, to say it bluntly, a change of speed. This means your vestibular sense allows you to control how fast you move. Got it? Eh, watch out for those roots ahead."

"Got it." Naruto repeated while he made long, exaggerated steps to avoid the roots he couldn't see. Even more than the fact that Saya bothered to explain things to him; Naruto liked it that he actually understood what she told him.

"The second sense could use an example. Swing your arms. I don't care how, just go crazy."

Naruto frowned at Saya's odd request but did as told, flailing his arms wildly in random ways and directions.

"Stop walking. Keep moving your arms. Now, Naruto, you're not looking at your arms, right?"

"I can't." Naruto stated plainly, still swinging his arms like a deranged person.

"Right. So you can't see your hands. You can't hear them, taste, smell them or touch them, either, right?" Naruto thought about it for a second before nodding.

"………but you know where they are, right?"

Naruto suddenly stopped, as his brain digested what Saya had just told him. "……ooh………"

"Yes, Naruto. That is the seventh sense, **proprioception**. It is basically self-awareness. Even if you lose all five senses, you'll always be aware of where your hands and legs and other parts of your body are." Saya pulled Naruto's arm, telling him to move on.

"Now you must be wondering why I'm telling you this. You now know of seven senses, one of which you have lost. The first stage of making up for the loss of your sight is working on the other six. The purpose of perception training is to improve your hearing, your sensitivity, your senses of smell, taste and balance, as well as your proprioception. Questions?"

Naruto shook his head until it hurt. He liked learning things……as long as they were interesting.

Saya grinned. "Good. Now, hold on tight."

Before Naruto could ask what she meant by that Saya had wrapped his arms around his waist and jumped. Naruto didn't need his eyes to perceive the power of that jump. He felt his body being carried higher and higher and, after an instant of perfect stillness, gravity pulled him back to the ground. He would have landed rather embarrassingly if Saya hadn't been there to hold him. In any case, Naruto was sweating noticeably by the time his feet touched solid ground.

"W-W-What the!? Why did you do that!?"

Wordlessly, Saya slammed Naruto against……something.

A chain link fence.

While Naruto touched the seemingly-out-of-place object, Saya explained what had just happened.

"We jumped over the fence that separates Training Area 69 from the Sarutobi Family Grounds. I can see the old Hokage's house from here……or at least the roof. Too many trees. Anyway, let's move. We do not want to intrude for long."

Before Naruto asked, Saya told him about Training Area 69 and its true identity as the location of the Houraisan residence.

"Here in Konoha our house is sort of an open secret. Civilians do not know……but most do not even know who we are, either. Only shinobi of Special Jounin status and above are told, plus a few……family friends, you could say."

"Why do you keep it a secret?" Naruto inquired.

"Well, we do like the privacy and the peace. Shiki and I……we are kind of…retired. We used to travel a lot and do all sorts of different things; Shiki working on his seals and me……coming up with Taijutsu styles one after the other………we don't do that anymore. We have already seen enough."

_That's why you are our last and most ambitious project, Naruto._

"Besides, we can use the whole incognito thing. We may live in Konoha, but we are not Konoha shinobi."

"You're not?" Naruto asked, sincerely puzzled.

"No, we are not. We've never been. We have no allegiance to any village. We might be working for Konoha today, and we might be doing a favor to Iwa tomorrow, and Konoha can't hate us for it."

"So you work for anyone?" Naruto didn't know much about mercenaries, only that they didn't sound like something he'd like to be. Also, he found it hard to picture Saya-neechan as a mercenary.

"Wrong. We work for no one."

"Uhh……I don't get it."

"What I'm trying to say, Naruto, is that we don't work like ordinary shinobi. We don't take missions from anyone. Everything we do, we do of our own initiative. We do what we want, do not make anyone angry, help a few people here and there, and nobody bothers us. Well, almost nobody. In any case, that's our life, mine and Shiki's……or it used to be. We're sort of retired, I told you."

Of course, Saya's explanation had been the "extremely clean" version. It wasn't nearly that easy. In that world of chakra and shinobi and supernatural powers, it just couldn't be. But Naruto didn't need to know the full details of the Houraisan couple's past………yet. When the time came for Naruto to know, he wouldn't be alone. He wouldn't be the only person in need of that knowledge.

"B-But, if you aren't Konoha ninja……why do you live here?"

Saya shrugged, forgetting that Naruto couldn't see her. "Because we like the place? It has a nice weather……except during summer. I can't stand the heat."

Needless to say, what Saya had said was far from the complete truth.

"Now, enough talking about me, brat. Keep moving. We are supposed to do perception training, aren't we?"

Naruto would have widened his eyes if he could. He couldn't, so he just mentally kicked himself. He was training, training! He could ask unrelated questions AFTER the training!

"Right!" He said as he let Saya guide him.

"Alright boy, then listen, and listen well; I don't like repeating things. From now on, assume **everything **I tell you to be a lesson, and absorb it as such."

"Got it!"

Saya shot a glance at somewhere in the canopy formed by the tightly packed trees that surrounded the spacious Sarutobi residence. She couldn't see it, but she felt a presence concealed within the leaves. With a wave of a hand, she dismissed it and focused her attention of the eager blond. Yes, she was slowly growing quite fond of her new student. Not that Naruto had done anything to deserve that fondness; it was just, as explained before, Saya's maternal instincts finally kicking in.

Deep within the cover of the leaves, Sarutobi Asuma returned the look with an amused expression. He was familiar with Houraisan Saya; she and her husband had always been friends of the family. He couldn't help but wonder why she was in the company of Uzumaki Naruto of all people. He knew it was none of his business, but that wouldn't stop him from asking his father when he got the chance. Maybe it was related to the reason his old man barely slept that night, or why he had left so early, without eating breakfast, despite his and his sister-in-law's insistence.

He knew it was none of his business, but the unusual combination of events left Asuma more than intrigued.

After all, he hadn't failed to notice the dried blood stains on the rags Naruto called clothes.

* * *

"Precision, attention, perfection. These three words are important for every shinobi, and to you they'll be critical. Repeat those three words, Naruto."

"Precision, attention, perfection. Got it."

After leaving the Sarutobi Grounds, Naruto and Saya were in what we could call the "Metropolitan Area" of Konohagakure. However, the density of buildings was far lower than what Naruto most accustomed to. This is, of course, because Naruto rarely visited the large eastern section of the village dedicated to housing the most notorious clans and families. The streets were unnaturally empty of life; a direct consequence of the revelry of the night before. It would take a while longer for most of Konohagakure to wake up. Only the shinobi population was already readying itself for another day of work.

"Precision, Naruto. Precision implies no unnecessary actions. Only do the absolute minimum required to accomplish the desired objective, with the appropriate caution. Overdoing it is never appropriate, but not doing enough is definitely worse. Precision means flowing through the battlefield and shaping the flow of battle. Precision is the understanding of timing and using this knowledge to your benefit. Do not waste your time, Naruto. No prancing around trying to look cool. 'Coolness' comes with the reputation. In a mission, only the mission and the safety of you and your team matters. Got it?"

"Precision! Got it!" Naruto nodded eagerly, still holding hands with Saya, thinking that Saya sounded pretty cool when she was explaining things.

"Attention. The key word for most is 'observe'. Since you can't do that, you have to make up for it with everything you've got. Listen, Naruto! Keep those ears of yours clean and open. Same goes for your nose and your hands. Memorize voices, scents, textures and tastes. Everything can become knowledge, and knowledge is always useful. Knowing yourself is strength. Knowing others reveals their weaknesses. Always be attentive, but you must be cautious, too, for you might be receiving false information from the enemy. **Never** assume things, Naruto. You must **always **question **everything**. Got it?"

"Attention! Always attentive!"

"Watch out for the barrel."

"Which barre-"

Saya chuckled while Naruto groaned on the sandy street, rubbing his sore nose. "You have a long ways to go, grasshopper."

The lesson continued only after they resumed their walk.

"Perfection. Perfection to a ninja means success: achievement of the mission parameters and flawless performance. Being a shinobi is a dangerous job, and it's a job that does not tolerate failure. To a ninja, doing things right is the difference between life and death, praise and scorn, glory and shame. Ninjas who make mistakes not only end up dead; they also risk the lives of their companions and the reputation of their family and their village. And that's it for now. We have time for one question. Stop walking."

Naruto caught the hint. He had to think of the most appropriate question, and do it fast. He had many possible questions in his head, but, since they were supposed to be doing "Perception Training," he guessed………

* * *

It was a bad beginning of the day for seven-year-old Yamanaka Ino. Despite not having classes at the Academy that day, her mother woke her up with the first lights of day to help with the house chores. Wearing a plain white sundress (her fashion sense not being nearly as developed and necessary……yet), her emerald green eyes lazily looked around the flowery garden in front of the main entrance while the tool in her right hand sprinkled the many blossoms. The empty streets didn't offer much in the way of relief for her bored mind and the body that claimed for a few more hours of sleep. She had stayed until very late the night before, with all the partying and eating. She loved the Golden Festival (an unofficial name for the holiday that celebrates the Nine-Tails' defeat; and a blatant and rather lame reference to the Fourth). She asked an invisible god why she had to wake up early when every non-shinobi in Konoha was still sleeping, when two presences in a corner of her field of view drew her attention.

Much to her surprise, she recognized the two of them. The girl showed up by the house or the flower shop at least once per season since she had memory, supplying Ino's mother with rare, exotic or even off-season flowers. The boy was the one no one talks to, even if she didn't really understand why. Many girls (and even some boys she had actually dared to ask about it) had told her their parents didn't allow them to even get near him, apparently because he is "dangerous," "rotten" and "evil." When Ino asked her parents (after one afternoon in a nearby park in which she actually pitied his obvious loneliness), they didn't give her any reasons, but they, too (more like her mother, but it would take Ino a while to notice this), insisted she should stay away from the kid.

Ino is actually a very curious girl. This would eventually degenerate into shameless gossiping several years later, but, for now, she's just a little more curious than your average child (but not nearly as curious as Naruto). This is probably the reason she quietly stared at the duo that approached her with slowly, almost deliberately measured steps, Ino's watering can long forgotten. She had absolutely no reason to dislike the boy. In fact, she kinda liked his untamed blond hair, with its tone darker than hers. Being only seven years old, she wasn't embarrassed to admit this. She was a little wary of his dirty, messy and rugged looks, though. She quickly noticed he looked particularly dirty and messy that morning. While his face looked clean (_Why are his eyes covered like that? Is it some sort of game?_), his not-so-white-anymore white t-shirt didn't even deserve the title of "t-shirt" anymore. There were more holes and dirt than cloth. She wondered if the kid had been in one of those barbaric pseudo-brawls kids her age seemed to be so fond of, Kami knows why.

The young woman made a bizarre contrast with her beautiful clothes, her elegant poise and her soothing smile. She seemed to be guiding the boy (who obviously couldn't see a thing, with bandages covering his eyes), and she also seemed to be doing most of the talking. Ino also noticed the basket the woman held with her other hand. She (correctly) guessed the woman had brought more flowers for her mother. Ino giggled when the woman guided the boy head first on a huge barrel. Why was the thing there, anyway? She could expect a barrel in the business district or the market.

When they were close enough, the woman (Ino still couldn't remember her name. It has something to do with flowers, though** [End note 1**) greeted her with a wink. Ino had seen more beautiful women (if you asked her, Ino would say Saya is too short and pale and thin. Yes, **Ino **would say that. Seven-years-old Ino, of course), but the woman wasn't precisely ugly, either. "Fair" would be the best word (she wouldn't mind having legs like that woman's when she grew up, though). Hence Ino's blushing and hurried bowing.

"…praise and scorn, glory and shame. Ninjas who make mistakes not only end up dead; they also risk the lives of their companions and the reputation of their family and their village. And that's it for now. We have time for one question. Stop walking."

The peculiar couple stopped in front of Ino. The woman was looking down at the little girl, and the boy was obviously unaware of Ino's presence, apparently busy pondering this "one question" the woman expected. It didn't take him long to open his mouth to speak.

"What does that have to do with perception?"

Saya turned from Ino to Naruto, her apparently-perennial smile never leaving her face. "Good question."

Naruto "looked up" and offered her his best grin. Naruto loved praise, and Saya was more than willing to praise him when he did right.

"Precision is impossible without good perception. To know what to do and how to do it in the most efficient way, you need perfect awareness of the situation in every way. Attention is an element of good perception, and, in both mission and battle, you must pay attention to everything: the opponent's position, the way he moves, the way he acts, the way he speaks, his choice of weapons, the jutsu he uses, the layout of the place, all sources of sound and smell. Everything can be important; everything can be tool, and a tool you don't use **will****be used against you**. Finally, perfection is the end result and what you must always strive for. If you fail at the previous two elements you'll never reach the third."

"Uh……right, I think I get it."

"Good. Now, a question for you."

"Alright!"

"What am I carrying with my other hand?"

"Uh?" Naruto was obviously confused. "You're carrying something, Saya-neechan? How am I supposed to know that, anyway!?"

Saya gently smacked Naruto's head with her knuckles. "What did I say about attention, Naruto? Now, what does your nose tell you?"

Naruto frowned and sniffed around, saturating his nostrils with…… "……flowers! It smells of flowers! Lots of them! Like in the garden!!"

"Exactly. We are standing in front of Yamanaka Inoichi's house. There are lots of flowers on the entrance, so you probably caught their scent. But I also happen to be carrying a basket full of flowers, so you technically got the answer right. Remember, Naruto: attention!"

Naruto nodded eagerly. "Okay!" Suddenly, however, he frowned. "T-There's something else……"

Saya's smile became a bit more calculating. _He caught her scent, too……impressive._

"That would be……uhh……" Saya had to turn to Ino and bow lightly. "You will have to excuse my rudeness, but may I ask your name again, daughter of Yamanaka? I seem to have forgotten."

Ino was startled by the sudden call for her attention, after being immersed in the unusual conversation. "Ah! Ah…Yamanaka Ino!" She exclaimed rather hastily after an ample bow. "Pleased to meet you."

"The pleasure is mine, Ino-chan. My name is Houraisan Saya, and the little runt next to me is Uzumaki Naruto."

Naruto turned his head in the approximate direction of Ino's voice. "Uh……hello……wherever you are……nee, Saya-neechan?"

"What is it?"

"I think I've heard that name before……Yamanaka………" Naruto made his trademark thinking facial distortion. Ino had to admit that thing he did with his nose was kinda funny.

"Ah!" He finally exclaimed. "Flower Yamanaka!"

Naruto gained a lot of expertise on the layout of Konohagakure through his many aimless walks ever since he became old enough to walk around on his own, which was considerably earlier than the average child. Besides, walking aimlessly and training were pretty much the bulk of his schedule until last night, plus the occasional visit to Ichiraku Ramen after he discovered the wondrous stand, the just-as-occasional visit to the Hokage Tower to make idle chat with the old man and the extremely rare visit to the library.

"Yes, yes, Yamanaka……ah, Ino-chan!"

Saya and Ino blinked as one. Naruto knew many names among Konoha's citizens both young and old. He had practiced Saya's advice on "attention" long before meeting her. Besides, the diminutive part of him that still hoped one of the kids would eventually invite him to play told him it would be convenient to know their names. Also, Naruto had stuck his face on the looking glass more than once to see the beautiful blooms of the Yamanaka shop.

"Yeah, yeah, I remember Ino-chan! Short hair, sorta like mine, but all nice and shiny……green eyes, really, really cute!" Naruto described his mental record of one Yamanaka Ino, throwing shame straight out of the metaphorical window.

Saya just **had** to raise an eyebrow after that. She was quite amused by Naruto's choice of words. Ino's blinking and blushing was a nice touch.

_The kid has a……unique way with words, I'll say._

"It's good to see you appreciate beauty, Naruto. Yes, Ino-chan is certainly very cute."

Ino's pink cheeks changed to a far-less-subtle crimson. Saya mentally congratulated herself. "Now, Ino-chan, can you go get your mother and tell her Saya is here?"

"Ah? S-Sure!" Ino hurriedly left, the beginning of a smile forming on her round face. Just like Naruto is a sucker for praise, Ino seemed to not mind being complimented on her looks, even at such an early age.

Naruto and Saya knew something was wrong when they perceived a particularly loud female voice from within the house. The walls didn't allow them to hear the exact words used, but the tone gave Saya very good idea of the nature of the problem. Unconsciously, she wrapped an arm around Naruto and pulled him closer to her. An embarrassed but secretly pleased Naruto leaned his body on Saya's right side. Affectionate human contact was something Naruto severely lacked.

A minute after Ino disappeared inside the house and ten seconds after the scandalous female ceased her undecipherable ranting, the door was opened again, revealing not Ino's mother, but the father, Yamanaka Inoichi. While he was wearing his usual shinobi attire, his hair wasn't properly tidied up in its trademark ponytail. Ino stood nervously behind her father, eyeing Saya and Naruto with a mixture of wariness and confusion. That was all the confirmation Saya needed.

Inoichi greeted Saya with a subtle nod, and his eyes quickly moved to the bandaged boy. The Houraisan wife was pleased to see Inoichi's expression didn't show any negative feeling aimed at Naruto. If anything, he looked tired and more ready to hit the sack than to begin a day of arduous ninja work.

"That's quite the hangover, Inoichi-kun."

Ino blinked and quickly looked at her two elders, from Saya to Inoichi and back to Saya. She didn't remember anyone else calling her father "Inoichi-kun," except when he and his two friends were particularly drunk and teasing.

"Ugh……" The tall man groaned in disgust. "……leave me alone………"

"I have a jutsu that might help with that."

There was a flicker in Inouchi's tired eyes and his expression changed to one of relief. "You're a goddess."

Saya's smiled widened for an instant. "So I've been told."

Ino watched in amazement how Saya did her medical magic by simply placing her right hand on her father's chest. She didn't use hand seals and there weren't any strange auras or colored lights. Saya only whispered something Ino couldn't get, stood silently in front of Inoichi for a few seconds, and she was done. Naruto stood deathly still for the few seconds he didn't feel Saya's reassuring touch, choosing not to move at all rather than risking screwing up in any way in a foreign house.

Ino didn't see anything unusual, but the results were obvious. Her father stood tall, proud and energetic. His eyes weren't as bloodshot and even his skin looked a bit healthier.

"You haven't lost your touch, Houraisan-sama." Inoichi said while he fixed his hair. Saya shrugged, dismissing the praise.

"Tsunade wouldn't even need to touch you."

"Maybe, but that doesn't take away your merit."

"Whatever. So, care to tell me why hasn't your woman shown up to greet me?" She said with tone that clearly said she already knew the answer.

Inoichi sighed, mentally cursing her wife for pushing him into such sorts of trouble. "She doesn't mind meeting you, but……"

Saya went for the kill. "……she won't admit Naruto inside her house."

Naruto felt the all-too-familiar twinge of unjustified rejection, the just-as-familiar _"why!?" _ringing in his head like a macabre serenade that forever haunted his days. Inoichi couldn't help but extend his pity to the kid when he saw Naruto's tiny fists clenching and his body tensing. Ino, ignorant of Naruto's circumstances, could only wonder why her mother had gone ballistic at the thought of Naruto stepping within her house. Sure, the kid could use a change of clothes, but anyone who said she was cute couldn't be that bad, right?

Naruto would have moved yet another step closer to the ever threatening world of angst hadn't Saya offered her support in the shape of a firm yet gentle reassuring hand on his shoulder. The message was obvious: _"Don't worry. I'm here. You're not alone anymore."_

However, Saya of the Healing Smile knew quiet gestures weren't enough. Besides, she had planned to do what she was about to do with our without Ino's mother temper tantrum.

"Naruto."

"Y-Yes?"

"Now you're going to do a little exercise. You ready?"

She had Naruto on "exercise." "Sure!"

"Alright, then take the basket I'm carrying." When the basket was in Naruto's hands, Saya turned to Ino. "Ino-chan, would be so kind to call Naruto's name so he knows where you are?" She looked back down at Naruto. "Naruto, you're going to use Ino's voice as your guide, and you're going to give her the basket. Okay?"

"Roger!"

Back to Ino. "Ino-chan?"

A confused Ino looked up at her just-as-confused father, who shrugged. She looked back at the bandaged boy wearing rags. "Um……Na…Naruto?"

It was a very simple exercise. Ino was only twelve feet or so away, and Naruto's sense of direction wasn't that bad. He was careful with his steps, though, for the usual reason of not wanting to break or step on anything. There was nothing but empty space and Inoichi between the two children, so that wasn't a problem. Less than a minute later, the basket was in Ino's hands, and the girl was looking at its contents with admiration. Her mind was already picturing the beautiful works of art her mother would make with them. Her eyes turned to Naruto only to admire the cute flush on his cheeks and the contagious grin on his face after Saya said three very simple words.

"Good job, Naruto."

Inoichi's eyes were fixed on the bandages that covered Naruto's eyes.

"Houraisan-sama, may I ask……"

"No, you may not, Inoichi." Saya interrupted, also allowing Naruto to use her voice to return to her side. "However, there's something I need to tell you."

"My husband and I have taken Naruto as our new apprentice and he has taken residence in our home. Therefore, he shall be treated with the respect he deserves. Shiki and I will not tolerate acts of aggression towards him of any kind. This decision was made with the consent and support of the Third Hokage, so any complains you or any other member of your clan might have should be taken to him. I fully intend to present Naruto to all the relevant Clans in the proper way when he's ready. Think of this as an informal introduction."

Saya turned her back to the two Yamanakas and pulled Naruto so that he'd do the same. "Yes, tell your wife that's the last she'll get from me until she grows up and gets over it. I'm sure you know what I mean."

And so, the Uzumaki and the Houraisan walked away. Inoichi stared at the Houraisan Emblem on the back of the cheongsam: a _Taijitu _(ying-yang symbol) surrounded by the _Hakke _(eight trigrams), which were themselves surrounded by an outer black circle. He felt like calling Saya again; he was getting a headache. When a masked ANBU appeared a few yards in front of him, eliciting a shriek out of his frightened daughter, Inoichi knew it would be _**one of those days**_.

While he listened the instructions the ANBU gave him by order of the Hokage and also consoled his poor little angel by caressing her smooth, silky hair (_Kami, she'll be gorgeous when she grows up……_), he felt like taking a page from his friend Shikaku's book.

"Damn it, this is too troublesome!" He growled.

* * *

It was, as usual, a silent breakfast at the Hyuuga household. Hiashi and Hinata sat on opposite ends of a low table way too large for just the two of them. Her bodyguard, Sendai, had been dismissed by her father the moment she entered the dining room. After greeting her sire with a polite bow and carefully measured words (she liked how they came out), she joined him in a rather bland meal. Not that she blamed the cooks: her father never gave an opinion, positive or negative, no matter what they prepared. If the boss doesn't care, why should they make an effort?

Yes, it was an ordinary breakfast at the Hyuuga house. It was also one of the occasions when Hiashi and Hinata engaged in the Hyuuga equivalent of idle chat. It didn't happen very often, though. Hinata guessed it would happen more often if they had a larger family. Well, they do have a HUGE family, but you get my point.

"Hinata?"

"Y-Yes!?" _Damn it!_

Surprised by her father, her mind immediately went haywire and her voice failed her. Her father's expression didn't change, but her active mind filled the gap. He was disappointed by her reaction. She just knew it. Still, she waited for his next words. Was he finally going to tell her about his lateness? About the boy, Naruto?

"I was told by Mikado-san that you were at the gardens earlier this morning."

Hinata gritted her teeth. Hyuuga Mikado, of the Clan Council. Needless to say, he was also one of the people who watched her every movement looking for the slightest flaw to rub on her father's face. Why were they so eager to display her as the Clan's biggest failure? She could do that perfectly fine by herself!

_Not that you plan to do that! New Hinata!!!_

Yes, this was a perfect test to see whether she could truly become this "New Hinata." The scenario was obvious. Apparently, even a silly thing such as picking flowers is below the Hyuuga heiress. The Hyuuga heiress cannot water plants, or get her hands dirty from some light gardening. If anyone asked her, she found that rather pathetic……and hypocritical.

"May I ask what you were doing, Hinata?"

She couldn't hate her father. As a father, he has every right to ask. Besides, it wasn't the first time this happened. It wasn't Hinata's first attempt at gardening. It grew into her when she figured out she needed flowers to indulge in her other hobby of flower pressing.

"I was picking out some flowers for my……personal use."

Hinata lowered her head. She had yet to develop the ability to read emotions by combining Byakugan with natural insight and basic psychology (she had been told her father was very good at this…after a very lengthy explanation on the meaning of the word "psychology"), but she knew herself and her father enough to figure out her sire's thoughts with frightening accuracy. She had lowered her head. Her father was probably expecting the usual stammering tirade of half-hearted excuses and apologies and empty promises of doing better in the verge of tears. She was surprised and pleased with herself for this last fact. She didn't feel the beginning of tears of shame; a feeling she had been quickly getting all too familiar with ever since her private teachers took her education to the next level.

_Not anymor__e……I hope._

A few minutes later, when she thought about it, she'd realize that the reason she hadn't been possessed by shame and nervousness was the fact that she had actually bothered to put some thought into the situation and realized she was actually in the right, not Hyuuga Mikado.

Right there on that dining table, Hinata used one of the few benefits the title of heiress carried: information. The title of heiress meant she had to go to many places, and pretty much forced her to hear many conversations. Adding to that the gossip among the female members of the Branch House, and we get one very knowledgeable little Hyuuga. A few years later, her little sister Hanabi would take this "Heiress Information Network" to a whole new level.

Before her father could say anything that crushed her slowly ascending spirit, Hinata struck. With a proper diplomatic voice many people would come to fear in the distant future, the Hyuuga heiress spoke.

"Speaking of Mikado-san, I was wondering if otou-sama could help me with a little……predicament."

Hook, line and sinker. Hiashi was, to say the least, intrigued. "……speak."

"It has recently come to my notice that Mikado-san is particularly fond of chocolates, otou-sama. Maybe otou-sama knows if Mikado-san has any……special preferences, so I can offer him a proper present? Also, I'd like to know of just how much would be appropriate. Too much chocolate cannot be good at his age, I mean."

The offensive was twofold. First, Hinata offered her father information he ignored, even if it was something as mundane as a council member's little guilty pleasure. It's not like he could expect more from a six-year-old. However, her gesture meant Hinata understood the rules of the game of politics: everything has a cost, even her father's support. Second, it made Hinata's message clear. Had Hinata been ten years older, she'd have said something like this to Hyuuga Mikado:

"_I know of your little sissy hobbies, you dumb fat prick. Now get the fucking way out of mine."_

Well, maybe not exactly that choice of words, but the idea gets across.

"Oh?" Hinata used a fake rhetorical tone so well concealed Hiashi almost felt like hugging her. "Oh, excuse my rudeness, otou-sama. I believe you were asking me something about………my business at the gardens, right? What was it again?"

"………nothing of importance, Hinata."

Two pairs of pupil-less eyes met, and Hinata knew she had done something right. Her father approved of her "performance."

_Alright!!! You go, girl!!!_

She made a mental note to show her gratitude to that boy, Naruto, the next chance she got. She wondered if a hug would be too much. She wondered if she would actually be able to hug a total stranger.

Yes, our little Hinata has grown up a lot in a single night. So has Naruto, in a way.

A knock on the door.

A door made of wood and panels of translucent paper doesn't make much noise when knocked. Also, it cannot be knocked too harshly or these panels might end up torn. Fortunately for the messenger, breakfast at the Hyuuga household is so damn quiet and boring.

"Come in." Hiashi uttered with his neutral, stern tone. The sliding door was hurriedly opened and, after a quick bow, a random Branch House member kneeled before Hiashi presenting a scroll.

Fifteen seconds later, Hiashi had devoured the contents of the scroll with his eyes and, after a sequence of seals that startled Hinata, the scroll became nothing but ashes in an instant. The little girl was surprised to see her father actually **knew **(Katon?) jutsu other than the special advanced Jyuuken techniques she had heard so much of. Of course, Hiashi knew better than to use any of the few jutsu he knew in front of any council member or any servants connected to them. Hinata had just proved him she was more insightful that she let on, and the messenger's loyalty was unquestionable for more than one reason.

"Hokage-sama has requested a meeting. I must depart immediately." He declared, and Hinata was elated to realize her father was actually excusing himself to his daughter!

_Why didn't I come up with this "determination" thing before_

After dismissing the messenger, Hiashi took a few last sips of his bland breakfast before standing up. Hinata bowed to his back as he reopened the sliding door to leave.

"Have a nice day, otou-sama."

"………Hinata."

"Yes?"

"………Uzumaki Naruto is alive and well. However, he has been rendered permanently blind. We will talk later."

With that, he was gone, leaving a "New Hinata" alone with her thoughts. For some reason she couldn't fathom, the morning seemed a lot brighter.

* * *

**1. **Saya (咲夜) means "Blossoming Night." It can also be read as "Sakuya" or "Sayo." On a side note, Shiki (四季) means "Four Seasons." Houraisan (蓬莱山) is a mountain located in the fantastic Island of Hourai of Chinese and Japanese mythology, where supposedly "there's no pain and no winter, and magical fruits grow which can heal any disease, grant eternal youth and even raise the dead."

**Author's Note: **okay, so this chapter turned out a lot longer than I had expected. Damn me and my writing too much on every scene. Alright, so, next time we have Sarutobi and the Council (with a special appearance by Mr. H!), Naruto meets Tenten and discovers a common passion for sharp, pointy things, and, of course, some Uchiha non-yaoi bonding! Not even remotely shonen-ai-ish! Ah, of course, there's ramen. LOTS of it.


	5. Day of Renewal: Morning Sun

_**Phantasmagoria of Dichromatic Eyes**_

**Chapter 2**

**Day of Renewal ****- Morning Sun**

After the short and……strange visit to the Yamanakas, Naruto and Saya resumed their walk to an unknown direction, or at least unknown to Naruto. Continuing his perception training, Saya asked Naruto to pay attention to any sound and scent he detected and to try to figure out its source. When he heard or sniffed something he didn't recognize, Saya gladly told him, and he added the info to his rapidly growing audio-olfactory database. Saya was extremely pleased when Naruto proved able to notice the very faint sound of an ANBU's footsteps on a low roof to his right, and she made sure to let him know. The kid needed all the ego boosts he could get, and Saya knew Naruto wasn't the kind of kid that would become smug and arrogant. If he showed even the slightest symptoms of such behavior, she'd beat his sorry ass back to humbleness.

Fifteen minutes of walking later, Saya had made two important discoveries. The first was obvious: Naruto's remaining senses had adapting to compensate for the loss of sight at an alarming speed. She wouldn't let go of his hand any time soon, but he was definitely a fast learner. Unfortunately for him, no amount of scent and hearing could allow him to perceive static obstacles. It would take some time before Naruto could walk on his own without stumbling on people, posts, barrels, and etcetera. His nose still had a way to go before he could notice the proximity of other people in time to move out of their way. In other words, Naruto still had to train a lot before Saya would let him walk on his own.

The second discovery was of a sadder and infuriating nature. As the amount of people who took to the streets increased with time and proximity to the business district, Saya was able to witness firsthand the life of Uzumaki Naruto. Normally, most people would ignore Naruto's presence. It was quite hard to do so when Naruto was walking blindfolded and holding hands with an elegant young lady, though, especially considering Naruto's own looks. Those torn clothes of his didn't favor him at all. While most were very decent at hiding their emotions, Saya was an expert at reading people's faces. She could tell most were wondering just what kind of pathetic attempt at getting attention Naruto had in his rotten little head, walking blindfolded like that. A few aged women looked at her; probably wondering horrified who was this stupid little gal who walked hand in hand with the monster.

_It's as if they expect Naruto to jump at me and swallow me whole. Seriously, what's wrong with these people!?_

In that aspect, Saya's thoughts were very similar to a certain Uchiha Itachi's. If you fear a demon that is immensely more powerful than you, you don't treat him like a cockroach that must be squashed, even if said demon has taken the form of a child. It's common sense, especially when nobody knows what circumstances could possibly break the seal and release the monster. When you have a Sword of Damocles hanging over your head you just don't ignore it.

But she couldn't hate them, and she couldn't hate the Fourth for wanting to protect them at the cost of his own life. After an extremely long life, Saya had seen enough of the weaknesses, fears and prejudices of mankind. Hence, she knew better than to ignore the flowers because of rest of the swamp. Saya, too, loved Konoha, despite it being a village of idiots. After all, some of the best people she had ever met were from that village.

In this aspect, Saya guessed, it was good for Naruto to have lost his sight. At least he couldn't see some of the looks they gave him anymore. It was also a good thing nobody had decided to voice his feelings for Naruto in her presence. She wasn't sure she could control herself.

"Saya-neechan."

"What is it?"

"I……I don't really get what happened back there, but you sounded really cool!"

Saya inferred Naruto was talking about the little scene at the Yamanaka's.

"I……I just can't stand the way some people treat you, Naruto. It's so fucking infuriating……"

Naruto chuckled, and Saya couldn't help but worry about his mental health. He **chuckled**, for Kami's sake!

"Ah, don't worry, don't worry……I'm pretty used to it, and I guess it could be worse………uhh……"

Saya let Naruto figure out the stupidity of what he had just said.

"……and some crazy bastard made me blind. Forget it."

_He's become a bit sarcastic, hasn't he? Well, not like I can blame him._

"But!" Naruto suddenly exclaimed, startling Saya and an old lady who cursed and spat as she walked past them. "I'm not alone anymore!"

Saya wished she had half of Naruto's optimism. "Yes, you have me and Shiki, and Hokage-sama, and we are all here to help you."

"And Mr. H!"

_Oh, God, I'm never going to get tired of that. _"Yes, Mr. H, too. Itachi-kun said he's looking forward to meeting you again, too."

"Really!? Cool! You think he can show me how to sound all badass like him!?"

"Let's hope not."

"Ehh?" Naruto pouted and Saya almost felt like squealing (it's the Haruno genes, I swear). "Why not!?"

"Because the only thing worse than an Uchiha is a little brat pretending to be an Uchiha."

Naruto blinked (he might not have eyes, but he still has eyelids) before nodding slowly, digesting this new information. "Uh, right……forgot he was an Uchiha bastard……that's bad……"

This eventually led to Saya asking him about his interesting opinion of the Uchiha Clan, which led to Naruto telling her of his pranks and his little experiences with the Military Police, which led to a few laughs. The fact that Naruto's merry laughter seemed to bother a few faces in the crowd was an extra bonus.

* * *

Her name is Tenten. She has a last name, but there's a reason she doesn't use it and it doesn't appear in any official documents.

Few people would imagine that such a "normal" girl at first glance could have a past so trimmed with tragedy. None of her friends at the Academy know this, but she, too, was one of many "Kyuubi orphans," children who lost their parents when the most powerful of the tailed beasts ravaged the Land of Fire. However, her parents weren't amongst the many shinobi who perished by the demon's fangs, claws and overwhelming powers. Tenten's parents were merchants, very wealthy ones, actually, who simply choose the wrong day to make their return trip to Konoha from a nearby trading post. They didn't even see what hit them, their bodies obliterated by a stream of flame released from the _**kitsune's**_mouth, almost half a mile away.

Little Tenten; by then a year and seven months of age; had no relatives other than her lost parents. The truth of the matter was a little more complicated. The few remaining relatives who could have taken care of her fell like vultures on Tenten's parents' fortune. Only the intervention of one Utatane Koharu stopped them from leaving the orphaned Tenten with absolutely nothing and made the insolent bastards retreat like the greedy scum they were.

Tenten lived in the orphanage until her sixth birthday. She had looked at kunoichi with awe ever since she had memory, but it was that day when she definitely decided to become one. A humble couple of smiths from a just as humble town in the border with Grass Country appeared at the orphanage, looking specifically for her. That same day, the couple had adopted her and taken her to their new residence in Konohagakure. What only the Hokage, his two former teammates and the Houraisan couple know is that the woman Tenten would grow to call "mom" was actually a distant cousin of her biological mother, who only learned of her relative's demise and of the orphaned girl well over five years after Kyuubi's attack. The woman, Mariya, after many failed attempts at having children of her own, proposed the idea of taking care of the poor, abandoned Tenten to her husband. The man readily agreed. He, too, wanted a child. Besides, they couldn't fare any worse in Konoha than they were in their humble little thorp.

But there's even more to this story. Tenten's new parents weren't just husband and wife, they were also cousins themselves. The man, Ken, had a passion for blacksmithing since his childhood, and it grew to the point that it forced him to renounce to his family and the family business to make his own path in life. When Ken and Mariya eloped together, they renounced to their family names, which explains why Tenten doesn't carry her adoptive father's name (or her mother's).

It was obvious to Ken and Mariya (the latter had learned the art from her husband, as she's actually pretty good at it) that weapons were the way to go in a ninja village. The couple's skill was average, but the moment they started to devote their time to manufacturing ninja weapons, their skills started to shine. It was as if the forging techniques Ken had learned so many years ago had been specially conceived to make weapons. It was a shame they were never able to ask Ken's old sensei about this. However, in a shinobi village full of weapon smiths like them, being good is simply not enough. The newly formed family's first months were very tough……until Houraisan Shiki appeared.

Houraisan Saya is a sucker for sob stories like this one, especially after a few cups of sake. When the old Sandaime told her Ken's, Mariya's and Tenten's story, she rushed to tell her husband, begging him to help them in some way. Since he knew Saya wouldn't stop pestering him until he actually did something, anything, Shiki decided to at least pay a visit to the weapon shop.

Saya's promises of lots and lots of sex if Shiki did as told had absolutely no influence in his decision. Really.

Many of Houraisan Shiki's original jutsu involve kunai in some way. However, Shiki's jutsu cannot use ordinary kunai, for several reasons that mostly involve the nature of seals and explosions. When he witnessed Ken's and Mariya's crafting techniques, Shiki knew he had found his supplier. Ken's old master had taught him to see their art as a philosophy, a mystic set of principles and a path to inner peace and fulfillment. The art of the forge was to Ken and his wife what martial arts are to monks, and what seals are to the Houraisan. While Ken didn't learn about chakra in the way shinobi are taught, the techniques his old master taught were in fact just one of many ways to mold and channel chakra to reinforce the human body. With a lucid mind after the meditation exercises he was taught to always perform before starting to work and a tough body reinforced with chakra, Tenten's father was able to create great metalwork.

This is how Tenten's family forged (no pun intended) a symbiotic relationship with Houraisan Shiki. They provided him with his special kunai, and he provided him with, well, money.

Money and exploding tags.

With their above-average skills and high-quality exploding tags made by a true seal master (instead of a random Chuunin with some knowledge of seals who wants to make some extra profit), Tenten's family thrived. They're not particularly wealthy, but they're not lacking either. Besides, they still have Tenten's biological parents' fortune, which Tenten would be able to fully claim as soon as she's legally declared to be an adult.

Yes, Tenten's little sad story had a happy ending.

And Shiki got lots and lots of sex.

Speaking of Tenten, the lovely eight-year-old girl with preference for Chinese fashion was humming a catchy tune as she swiped the wooden floor of her parents' shop with an old broom. Tenten was already tall for her age, a sign that she would be an early bloomer. Unfortunately for her, she wouldn't get to grow as tall as she would have wanted to. She had always helped at the shop with cleaning duty, but her parents hadn't let her work as cashier until the day she turned eight; the same day she was introduced to the forge and the instruments of the work. She was slowly learning her parents' art, but she was a lot more enthusiastic about her ninja training.

After a day of mourning Tenten's real progenitors (of whom Tenten has already been told everything about), Ken and Mariya used the night to drink, party and be merry with the few friends they have made in the time they've been residents of Konoha. Tenten had her share of fun, too, of course, but she actually went to bed early. With her parents stuck to the bed sheets for a least another hour, Tenten took it upon herself to open their shop for business that morning.

This is the reason she was the only person present in the shop when the door was opened and the first client of the day made her entrance.

"Good morning and welcome! How can I-Houraisan-sama!" Tenten completed her loud greeting with an exaggerative bow.

Tenten's parents always use the honorific to address the Houraisan couple, so it kinda stuck. Saya dismissed Tenten's excessively respectful behavior with her famous hand gesture.

"Tenten-chan, please, that's too much."

"B-But! Hourai-"

"Saya-san!" Saya insisted with a fierce tone that quickly reduced the aspiring kunoichi.

"S-Saya-san." Tenten muttered with a meek expression on her face, which was quickly dispelled by Saya's smile.

"Much better."

Naruto, who had been silently witnessing the conversation, was suddenly pushed forward in front of his sensei. Of course, Tenten recognized the blond. Naruto is kind of a celebrity around Konoha, just not for the best reasons. However, Tenten's parents do not know of Naruto's status as the vessel of the Nine Tails. They're only wary of him because of the reputation he's gained from those who despise him. Since Tenten hasn't really been close to Naruto (except in the orphanage, but she doesn't remember that), she has no particular positive or negative opinion of him. Of course, his looks didn't really give her a good first impression and, needless to say, she wondered what the deal was with the bandages covering his eyes.

"Tenten-chan, this is my new student, Uzumaki Naruto. Say hi, Naruto."

Unfortunately for Naruto, there was a tall table with an open box of shuriken right in front of him. Tenten shrieked and Saya groaned when Naruto bowed and slammed his face on the sharp, pointy throwing stars.

"Uh, p-please to meet-OWW!!!!"

"Oh God!" Tenten exclaimed, quickly rushing to Naruto's side. "Are you okay!?"

Saya wasn't nearly as concerned. "Ah, don't worry, he's a tough brat."

"Oww……" Naruto pouted as he straightened his body, rubbing his forehead. "You could at least worry a little……what kind of doctor are you?"

"A not-one, so there."

Tenten was amazed. Naruto's face was completely clean of wounds. No cuts, no blood, no anything. "What……are you okay?"

Naruto grinned. "Yeah, no problem! Saya-neechan said it, I'm tough!"

"Uh……" Tenten still didn't know what to say…or think for that matter. Saya helped her by changing the topic.

"Your parents, Tenten-chan?"

"Eh? Ah! W-Well, they are…..umm……ehehe………"

Saya sighed. Tenten's mildly embarrassed expression said everything. "They're still sleeping."

"Y-Yeah……"

Saya sighed again, this time a bit louder. "Ah, well, there is no rush. Naruto!"

"Y-Yes!"

"This is Tenten-chan. We are in her parents' weapon shop."

Another magic word: "weapons."

"Oooh……so, those pointy things that hurt like hell……"

"Shuriken."

Even with her godly reflexes, Saya barely managed to stop Naruto before he grabbed a handful of the throwing stars. "Dammit, Naruto, you little fuck!!!"

"Auu……" Naruto pouted after Saya smacked his head. His impossibly cute pouting voice touched a string in both Saya and Tenten.

"Like I was saying-hands on your back, Naruto! Ahem…like I was saying, this is Tenten's parents' weapon shop. We're here to pick a special order for my husband. However, since Tenten's parents' are a bunch of lazy bastards, I will teach you about ninja weapons while we wait for them to wake up and show more responsibility than their daughter. With me so far, Naruto?"

Naruto nodded eagerly; anything to get his hands on some ninja tools of DOOM. Tenten took the chance to speak.

"Um, Saya-sama-oww……you didn't have to hit me, Saya-san……"

"Yes, I had to. You were saying……?"

"Why are Naruto-kun's eyes covered like that? Isn't it kinda…dangerous?"

Saya looked down at Naruto, even if she knew he couldn't look back. "Do we tell her, Naruto?"

After a strange pause, Naruto smirked and shrugged. "She will kinda notice sooner of later, unless she's reeeeally stupid."

"Hey!"

"Well, I don't know……from what her mother told me, her grades at the Academy aren't really that good……"

"Hey!!!"

"She goes to the Academy!? Really? You sure? She sounds kinda…umm……girly."

"HEY!!!!!"

"Well, she lives in a weapon shop, so she probably can at least pretend to know how to throw shuriken. Don't know if she can actually hit a target, though."

"**HEY!!!!!**"

Tenten would never dare attack Saya, so she went for the next best thing: stomping a foot on Naruto's. HARD.

"OWW!!!! Damn it! That HURT!!!"

"Then stop talking as if I weren't here!" Tenten's face was flushed. Saya had to admit it was an adorable sight.

"Saya-neechan, this shop is dangerous!!!"

"It certainly is, Naruto. Maybe I should reconsider changing to another shop……"

"What!?" Tenten pretty much shrieked. "NO! Don't! Please! I'll do anything!!!"

Saya smirked and raised an eyebrow. "Don't say things you might regret later, Tenten-chan."

"Eh?"

Saya shook her head. _Right, she's too young to get that._

While Naruto swung his arms around in an attempt to find Tenten, who, after finally figuring out that Saya was kidding, dodged and laughed at Naruto's futile attempts (which only added more coal to the flames, of course), Saya looked at Naruto appreciatively.

_He figured out my intentions and joined me in joking at Tenten-chan's expense, and only by the tone of my voice. __Not bad, but I guess his previous life as a prankster probably helped._

Saya stopped Naruto before he tried using the items on display for his attempts at getting back at Tenten.

"Naruto, no touching the ninja weapons unless I tell you to, okay?"

"Fine……" Naruto muttered, prolonging the 'i' letter. Saya turned to the girl, who was now flushed because of the mild physical effort. Despite his blindness, Naruto's attempts at capturing her had been quite accurate.

"Tenten-chan."

"Yes?"

"The thing is; Naruto is blind."

"Huh?" Tenten might not have known much about Naruto before that morning, but she was sure she would have known if he were blind. "W-What……?"

"A bad person hurt Naruto, and now he's blind."

Of course, the news was quite a shocker to Tenten. It's not everyday you are told your new friend is blind. Surprise quickly became confusion, which degenerated into shame. She felt she had acted recklessly and in an inconsiderate way, and she voiced her thoughts the only way she could think of.

"S-Sorry……"

All traces of shame disappeared when Naruto's foot fell on hers like a sledgehammer.

"**OWWW!!!!!!**"

"Ahahaha!!! Gotcha!!!!"

"Youuuuu-" Tenten caught herself. She wanted to get back at him, but……

"Don't do that." Saya stated in a plain tone. Tenten was taken aback by her cold, piercing gaze.

"……what?"

"Don't pity him. Don't treat him like some glass doll that will break if you touch him. Didn't you hear me? He's my student. He's undergoing training to become a ninja. He'll eventually go to the Academy the same as you. Yes, even if he's blind. Because he's better than those idiots who hate him and want to hurt him."

Tenten looked at Saya and Naruto, unsure of what to say. Saya left the girl alone with her thoughts and turned to Naruto, who was a little bundle of joy and pride.

"Alright, Naruto, weapons. I'll be honest with you. I don't know that much about weapons. I can tell you everything you want to know about staves and swords of almost any type. I also know how to throw kunai and shuriken just fine, and I can use a bow. For anything other than that you'll have to look for another teacher. And don't even bother try asking Shiki: he's all shuriken, kunai and senbon, nothing else. Right now I'm going to show you all the weapons in display here, so that you memorize their names and learn to recognize them by their shape, weight and the material they're made of. Okay?"

"Hmm!!" Naruto nodded eagerly. He wanted to touch the weapons, and he wanted to do it ASAP.

"Umm……Saya-san?" An uncertain and surprisingly weak voice caught the two's attention. Saya got that feeling of impending inevitability that accompanies the crucial moments in a person's life.

"……yes, Tenten-chan?"

The girl's expression was the kind of face you'd expect from Hinata, but there was a spark of resolution in her eyes Saya found unusual for such a young girl.

"Can……can I help?"

Saya smiled gently. "Sure. You probably already know more about these things than me. Show little Naruto here everything you know about ninja weapons."

Tenten was positively glowing as she pretty much dragged Naruto (not that he minded much, though) by the arm to the "throwing weapons" section. She had been praised and acknowledged, and she had made up for her little screw-up from just before. Yes, you could say Tenten was happy.

Just like Hiashi the night before, the little eight-year-old girl had made a choice. Just like Hiashi the night before, she would never regret it.

* * *

The Konoha council as such doesn't exist. In other words, it is not a formal structure of government. The one and only leader of Konohagakure is the Hokage and that's that. The council was originally intended as a means to, in lack of better words, keep the Hokage in check. Basically, to make sure the Hokage's decisions were for the greater good of the entire population of the village, instead of for his personal gain or for the shinobi only or something like that. Unfortunately for Sarutobi, more often than not it was the other way around, with him keeping the council in check.

The council was formed by the Hokage's advisors, plus a member from each of the most relevant clans (usually the Clan Leader) plus representatives from ANBU, the Military Police (which meant another Uchiha), the merchant guilds and the common populace, plus "objective" advisors appointed by other council members, plus an official representative from the Daimyo of Fire Country who permanently resides in Konoha, reporting to his liege in the capital city every season.

And there's Danzo. Seriously, nobody knows how that guy got there. It was mostly a combination of favors owed, a few words here and there, subtle promises, lots of charisma and a few well-executed political maneuvers.

Of course, the clan representatives couldn't possible care less about anyone other than themselves, until it was time for voting, of course. Needless to say, any Uchiha in the council was strictly forbid from activating his Sharingan during a council meeting. Genjutsu can be used in many ways, after all.

So, what does the council do, anyway? Long story short, they meet every once in a while to discuss all sorts of matters. Since every single member wants the larger piece of the pie for the group each represents, they rarely get to agree on anything, and the Hokage sighs in relief.

Yes, Konoha politics are really fucked up.

Sometimes a member of the council demands a summons and the whole group meets to hear whatever he wants to say and discuss whatever he wants to discuss. This was the case today. After that morning's summons, the council gathered in record time, because the Hokage had made the demand.

The Hokage had **never **called for a council meeting before that day. **Never.**

Of course, the meeting room was a little bundle of chaos. Nobody spoke, but their brains had gone haywire, all asking themselves the same questions. What could the Hokage possibly want? Why so early in the morning? Why right after the festival? Most of them still carried with them the sequels of the night of revelry with them.

Sarutobi counted on that. Confused, ignorant and with a hangover? They were like newborn deer struggling to make their first steps. He was the tiger.

The Third Hokage walked in, wearing his white robes and the wide hat with the red "Fire" symbol that accredited him as such. Strike one. Sarutobi was serious. Danzo only narrowed his eyes. Had the old coot Sarutobi figured out his plans?

Which of them, anyway?

It made for a curious irony that the council meeting room looked very similar to an Academy classroom, with the Great Clans claiming the top seats and the civilian representatives at the bottom. That morning, the Professor was in session. He was followed by an ANBU squad that worked as his bodyguards. Uchiha Fugaku's eyes followed a particularly short ANBU wearing a fox mask.

Yamanaka Inoichi had been the last to arrive before the Hokage, and the aged leader of the village seemed to be ready to get started with business.

"Thank you all for coming on such a short notice." He began, making a pause to see if anyone was stupid enough to interrupt him. Disappointed to see that wouldn't be the case, he continued. "You are probably already aware there's an empty seat."

Certainly, everyone had already noticed Hyuuga Hiashi shone with his absence.

"Let me assure you Hiashi-san has already been informed of the matters about to be discussed. When he arrives he will be more than ready to share his opinion with us."

Strike two. Sarutobi could almost see the gears turning in their heads. Were the Hokage and the Hyuugas conspiring together in some way? Had the Hyuugas done something that angered the Hokage somehow? Were they allies, enemies or just an inconvenience in the Hokage's plans, whatever they were? The smartest of them (namely, Danzo) were already evaluating every possible scenario, looking for ways to use this knowledge for their personal advantage.

"You see, while most of you and your families were rejoicing and celebrating, a terrible tragedy took place within the walls of our beloved village; a tragedy that directly affected one of Konoha's most……important citizens."

The eyes and Uchiha Fugaku and several others flickered with barely concealed triumph. Something happened to the Hyuugas. Something BAD.

Sarutobi and Itachi felt like laughing their asses off.

Danzo and Sarutobi's former teammates knew better. They understood the subtleties of the Hokage's speech better than anyone else. They knew there was a catch. Danzo gritted his teeth and clenched his fists under the table. He had absolutely no idea what Sarutobi was talking about. That wasn't supposed to happen. But not knowing was half of the problem. He knew **that **look on the Hokage's face. It was the man that carried **that **look who took away what was **rightfully his**.

Why? Why had **that **look returned to the tree-hugger, baby-kisser monkey bastard? He knew he needed to know. A part of him, his animal instinct, maybe, told him he didn't want to know.

Homura and Koharu watched avidly, as they were witnessing something they though they'd never see again. The moment their comrade entered that room, they knew they were siding with him. They weren't as stupid as to try to stand in his way when he had **that **look. They didn't know if it was the wisest decision, but they definitely didn't want to be on Sandaime-sama's bad side.

Besides, they liked what they saw.

This was the man who led their team to great exploits through more than one Shinobi War. This was the man two Hokages branded for greatness. This was the man they swore to follow through hell and back, as long as he offered his wisdom, his guidance and his immense power to Konohagakure. This was their friend, their teammate, the master of uncountable jutsu, the cunning strategist, the charismatic, fierce leader, the standard of everything Konoha represents, the man whose face screams **SHINOBI**, the Professor, the God of Ninja, the Third Hokage: a man amongst men.

Whatever had happened for the slumbering beast to awaken again, it was definitely worth it.

"By the looks on your faces, you must be already aware that nothing of the sort has happened to the family of anyone present. Before your imagination takes a horrible tangent, I'll let you know that no, no tragedy has befallen upon the Hyuuga Clan, either."

The room became pretty much one huge frown. If Hokage-sama didn't mean the Hyuugas, or any other family for that matter, then what the hell……?

"Once again, by the looks on your faces, I can tell none of you have any idea of whom I'm referring to. I can't help but wonder if there's a problem with my shinobi's skills. It seems I'll need to ask the Academy teachers to put extra emphasis on teaching their students how to better conceal their emotions."

Koharu had to stiffen a chuckle at the looks on some of the councilmember's faces. _He's putting them in their place, and he's enjoying every second of it._

Mikado felt twenty years younger. _Go get them, monkey. No matter the cost, I'm with you all the way._

"Of course, I'm referring to the one person who holds the very existence of Konohagakure in his hand……or should I say……in his navel?"

Strike three. _You're mine. You are all mine, motherfuckers………I've spent too long around Saya, haven't I?_

The looks of horror and plain disgust on most of their faces didn't unsettle Sarutobi for once. It only made his rightful vengeance even sweeter.

"I am sure you are all aware of whom I am talking about now, and I certainly hope you all understand his importance……or I'll have another reason to worry for my shinobi."

Many of the people present actually dared look embarrassed after that. Danzo remained impassive, his mind working at 200 trying to figure out how to proceed in this unforeseen situation. Homura and Koharu closed their eyes. The Vessel. Someone was **screwed**. Nara Shikaku's tired and bored expression suddenly sharpened, especially after he saw the pained expression on his friend Inochi's face. Akimichi Chouza was just as concerned.

A pair of knocks on the door elicited a devilish grin on Sarutobi's face. It wouldn't have turned out better if they had arranged it beforehand.

Hyuuga Hiashi made his presence known in the meeting room. "Hokage-sama, my utmost apologies for the delay."

The Hokage's expression relaxed for an instant to offer the Hyuuga leader a conciliating grin. "Apology accepted. We both had rough nights."

The look on his face, the tone of his voice, the choice of words and the reactions of the other council members told Hiashi everything he needed to know. He also proved to be quite proficient in the art of hiding his emotions. "My utmost thanks, Hokage-sama." He said, followed by a bow, before walking to his seat in the highest row, secretly enjoying the way Fugaku followed his steps; the Uchiha's face a mixture of confusion, rage, disgust and……_is that envy?_

When Hiashi was comfortable in his seat, Sarutobi continued his merciless assault. "To resume what I have said so far, a regrettable tragedy has befallen upon Uzumaki Naruto on his seventh birthday. It is something that had absolutely no reason to happen; something that should have never happened; something that should have been prevented, and for that I am as guilty as the next person. I offer you my most sincere apologies." The topping on the cake was the overly polite bow that accompanied his words dripping with venom.

_Yes, I didn't protect him……but there's no reason in the first place for me to have to protect him from __**you**__………_

He waited, waiting for the person brave (or stupid) enough to ask the question they all (but Hiashi) had in their heads. But nobody dared speak. They were even afraid to breathe too loudly.

A subtle shift of his expression and an incredibly-well concealed hand sign gave Koharu the cue she needed. The good old sign language they used in their active shinobi days still worked wonders.

"What is the nature of this……tragedy upon Uzumaki Naruto-san, Sarutobi-kun?"

Sarutobi made a mental note to show his old teammate his appreciation. Koharu had not only performed as expected, the fact she had done so and her way of addressing him were blatant affirmations of her loyalty towards him. She had pretty much declared war on the rest of the council, if it came to that. He knew Koharu's opinion of Naruto wasn't the best, either, but, for him, for his old teammate, she was willing to make an exception.

Sarutobi turned his full attention back to the stunned council. He could have sworn some of them actually **shivered**.

"Last night, Uzumaki Naruto was attacked in the very streets of Konoha, stabbed multiple times with a kunai and left for dead in an alley."

Inoichi leaned his head on his hands, covering his mouth, elbows resting on the desk in front of him. His meditative look and the way he shook his head made alarms blare in his two teammates' heads. The slightly curved shape of Hiashi's lips made Fugaku feel the closest thing to absolute terror he had felt in years. The whole absurdity of the situation was rapidly dragging Danzo to the edge of a nervous breakdown.

"Seeing that you all seem so **worried** by Naruto-kun's wellbeing, be grateful to know he is alive and well……to a point."

Maggots might have been dripping out of Sarutobi's mouth with the rotten sarcasm obvious in his tone.

"I cannot possibly imagine what the culprit was thinking." He said with the voice of a teacher scolding a bunch of four-year-olds. "What would have we done if Naruto's violent death led to the dispelling of the seal?"

Many faces blanched as one. No matter how prestigious, powerful or wealthy, no Clan could stop the Nine-Tailed Demon Fox. Fear of the all-powerful demon was universal, and it knew no boundaries.

Much to Sarutobi's pleasure, Hiashi decided to join in the fun.

"Hokage-sama, you just said Naruto-san is well……to a point." Even the same "dramatic" pause. Nobody failed to notice that Hiashi had called Naruto **by his name**. "I am sure all the present would like to know what you mean."

Fugaku and Danzo shot daggers at the Hyuuga leader. Of course, Danzo was a lot subtler. What was the insolent Hyuuga on to?

"You are right, Hiashi-san, how inconsiderate of me. While most of the wounds have already been treated, I fear I must tell you Naruto has suffered irreparable damage to both eyes, and he has been rendered permanently blinded as a result."

Sarutobi allowed the words to sink in. Fugaku had the obvious reaction expected from the leader of a family that values their eyes more than anything else. Inoichi sighed sadly and nodded in grim acceptance. That was an interesting reaction, Sarutobi thought. Hiashi's smiled had disappeared; an admirable act of respect towards Uzumaki Naruto. Danzo……his was the best reaction of all: slowly, very slowly, he released his breath, almost unnoticeably relaxing his body as he did so. It was the closest thing to showing resignation anyone would see from Danzo.

_You've just declared Naruto useless to your ambitions, haven't you Danzo? At long last, you've made a mistake, old warmonger fool. And I'll make sure you regret it._

"Investigation on the incident is already well underway. Nothing more will be said about that. Now, what we must-"

"Hokage-sama?"

The foolish councilman who had dared open his mouth almost wetted his pants under the pressure of the Hokage's gaze. He might as well be staring at a Bijuu.

"Yes, Akagi-san?" Akagi-san's brain didn't register the words, too busy screaming _"Run away! Run away!" _as it was. However, he figured that since he already was screwed, he might as well go all the way.

"Um……don't you think……don't you think we should be informed of any leads you might have on the perpetrator of……of this……attack?"

Hiashi almost snorted. Yes, Hiashi. _There are many better ways you could have worded that, Akagi-san._

Any pretension of formality and kindness disappeared from the Hokage's face. "If I remember correctly, Akagi-san, you as well as most of the members of this council were demanding Naruto's death exactly seven years ago. Am I wrong?"

Strike one, once again. Many council members were sweating profusely at this point, especially one Akagi Hibiki.

"If I also remember correctly, the Hyuuga Clan and the Inuzuka Clan were among the few present here who actually spoke in favor of protecting his life. Am I **wrong**?"

Strike two. Nobody said a thing. Inuzuka Tsume nodded sagely. She, too, was definitely enjoying this. _About damn time, old man!_

While her canine aspects openly rejected the vulpine demon and his vessel, her motherly instinct and her Clan's pack mentality also rejected the idea of murdering an innocent child. Seven years ago, Tsume's parents (May they rest in peace) and Tsume herself had literally showed their fangs to anyone who dared get too close to the baby vessel with ill intentions. So far she had no reason to regret that choice.

Hiashi's memories were of a different nature. After all, the one who had convinced him that protecting the boy was a better idea was his wife of all people. He had known she had been acting out of motherly instinct, pregnant as she was at the time. But he was getting the notion that listening to his wife that night was one of the best decisions he could have made. Still, thinking about her was painful. It would always be.

"If I **also** remember correctly, Akagi-**san**, Naruto was put under my personal supervision. **I **was the one who sent him to the orphanage, and **I **was the one who took him out of that place, too. **I **paid for his sustenance while he lived at the orphanage, and his monthly allowance comes from **my **pocket. **I **have ensured his safety and health all these years. **I **paid ANBU to look after him whenever I could. He was left under **my **care and supervision! All information related to his growth and activities was directly relayed to **me**! Did anybody care about him these past seven years, despite of who he is and how important he is for the safety of Konoha-no, the safety of the whole world!?"

No answer. Strike three.

"I'm waiting!!!" For the first time, Sarutobi actually raised his voice. Still, no answer.

"I thought so. Hence, **Akagi-san**, I believe I have every right to keep all information concerning Uzumaki Naruto to myself. If anyone yet disagrees, I can make it an S-Rank secret accessible only to me and the few Konoha shinobi who already know something about it."

A gulp could be heard from more than one seat. The Hokage was using every weapon in his arsenal.

"Now, where was I? Oh! Oh, yes, our **real** priority, ladies and gentlemen of the council. There's nothing we can do about what's happened. It's truly regrettable, yes, but we simply cannot go back in time. The problem at hand is, well, the consequences of this horrible act."

"As some of you might have figured out already…" _Yeah, right_. "…there's a very likely chance little Naruto might be a bit……resentful towards Konoha after this."

The words struck home like a well throw kunai; their implied consequences blatantly obvious……and terrifying, especially for the civilian representatives. But Sarutobi wasn't done.

"And if Naruto truly is the……" Sarutobi repressed the urge to laugh. "…**demon** some of you claim he is, he might be thinking of using his……**demonic** powers to enact vengeance. Rightfully so, I must say."

"Kami blessed!" One of the few civilians present exclaimed. "What are we going to do!?"

"Do not fret, Kawami-san. Obviously, I have already thought up a plan to deal with this……inconvenience."

"For seven years, you people have insisted I must……take action concerning Uzumaki Naruto. I think I am finally ready to do so. Since executing him is **not an option**…" _As much as you'd love for that to happen… _"……I believe he must be……contained."

The look of relief on some faces was priceless, if only for how fun it would be to crush their false hopes. The look on Akimichi Chouza's face was particularly amusing. _He is probably imagining Naruto locked in an underground cell watched by ANBU 24/7._

When he noticed the way Inoichi shook his head and shot a compassionate look at his……big-boned friend, Sarutobi confirmed his suspicion. _Inoichi knows already. Saya, maybe?_

"However, I also consider that keeping him in Konoha is not a viable option right now, for it might worsen his already……delicate……mental stability."

Hiashi actually snorted this time. He found the words laughable. _Insane? That child? No……not that child. He's stronger than that._

"Hence, he must be kept outside Konoha, but close enough for us to be able to keep watch on him."

Inoichi was smiling. He definitely knew. He was smiling and nodding. _You definitely got us this time, Hokage-sama. My respects._

Nara Shikaku was smart enough to figure things out with the little information Sarutobi had shared. A three-syllable word mouthed by Inoichi told him the rest. Hou-rai-san.

"Ugh, troublesome……"

Tsume had a pretty good idea, too. _Leaving the fox with that little vixen? It's delicious irony, I say.__Kudos to you, old monkey._

For once, Danzo wasn't nearly as insightful. He would pay dearly for that.

"For this reason I have reached an agreement with Houraisan Shiki-sama and his wife."

There it was: the final bomb. Sarutobi knew opinions on the couple were mixed. Shiki hated the Uchihas with a passion, and the feeling was mutual, Kami knows why. Saya was in relatively good terms with Inoichi's family because of their common passion with flowers. The Akimichis weren't very fond of the Houraisan, but that didn't stop them from sending their most talented members to train under Saya's supervision. The Naras couldn't possibly care less, and everyone knows of the strange, unexplainable relationship between the Hyuugas and the Houraisan couple which even predates the foundation of Konohagakure. If they knew of the true reason behind this awkward relationship, they would be **terrified**; of both Hyuugas and Houraisan.

But most important of all was the implicit truth hidden in Sarutobi's words. Under the watchful care of Houraisan Shiki and his wife, Danzo would never be able to put his hands on Naruto.

The rest of the meeting was a blur for most of the council members, while the Hokage discussed the terms of Naruto's apprenticeship under the guidance of the Houraisan couple, his future admission into the Konoha Shinobi Academy and how he would personally ensure Naruto's allegiance to Konoha. When he left the meeting room to allow the poor bastards to express their outrage in whatever way they could think of, he had the loveliest smile on his face. The kind of smile he had after a decisive victory during the Shinobi Wars.

_Be careful with what you wish, Danzo. You might just get it. Oh, Naruto will be a weapon all right, just not __**your **__weapon. He will be the weapon of Konoha. He's already their savior and protector; he might as well go all the way. He will be a fine shinobi bursting with the Will of Fire. I swear on my name and my title as Hokage._

Shiki had been waiting for him right outside the meeting room. "That was quite the performance, old monkey. Good to know you haven't lost your touch."

"Ara, you're still here?"

"There's something else I need to discuss with you."

"Does it involve Naruto?"

"Of course."

The Hokage nodded before turning to the ANBU Squadron that closely followed them. "Take the rest of the day free. Rest, have fun or whatever. Just keep your mouths shut."

Three of the ANBU only nodded before disappearing. The short ANBU behind the fox mask stayed behind for two seconds, carefully eyeing the two elders before him, too, disappeared via _**Shunshin**_.

"I take it you were listening, Shiki." Sarutobi uttered once they resumed their walk back to the Hokage's office.

"_**Sasayaku Kaze no Jutsu **_can be used in more than one way, after all."

"Yes, yes……so few people bother learning that jutsu nowadays………make sure Naruto learns it."

"If he can. I'll test his elemental affinities as soon as he's able to channel his chakra."

"Good. So, what do you think of what you heard?"

"Well, I didn't hear much other than you speaking. So, was it Danzo?"

"Of course not. That's not his style. He'd rather use Naruto than kill him and risk releasing Kyuubi. He's bothersome, not stupid."

"Hmm……then we're back to zero."

"Yes, but I'll get to the bottom of this." Sarutobi declared. Saya's report after the examination of the dead body the twins Nekomata found left several questions unanswered and raised a few more.

"So, Shiki, what is it that you have to discuss with me? I have other matters to attend now."

"When we get to your office, Saru. It won't take long. I have matters that must be handled as soon as possible."

"Really?"

"Nekomata matters."

"Ahh……"

Shiki's relationship with the twins had gotten a bit more complicated when Shin and Chen discovered the concept of interest. The longer Shiki took to "pay the summoning fee," the harder it would be to satisfy them.

The walk was short, and Shiki resumed the conversation only after they were safely behind the privacy of the invisible Privacy Seals installed all over the room.

"As you know already, Naruto's eye sockets are completely emptied. Saya extracted what was left of Naruto's eyeballs once it was decided nothing could be done to restore them."

The Hokage nodded. It was a grim topic; a topic he'd rather avoid, but he guessed he had to wait to hear where Shiki was trying to get at.

"Saya's medical advice is that Naruto's eye sockets cannot be left the way they currently are."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean we have to fill that empty space with something. Anything."

Sarutobi easily interpreted Shiki's expression. "I take it you've already thought about something. This is not my area of expertise, as you probably know."

"It isn't mine, either. This is more Saya's and Tsunade's thing." Shiki shrugged. "But, you are correct: I have thought about something."

"While we could just, I don't know, stuff Naruto's eye sockets with cotton balls or something, wouldn't it be better if we filled that empty space with **something useful**?"

Sarutobi leaned forward, resting his elbows on the wooden desk and looking at Shiki with a sharp glance. His old friend might be on to something that could help Naruto, and that seemed to be the Hokage's only purpose in life lately.

"Explain."

"As you order, Hokage-sama. Let me start with a question: how much do you know about the Houraisan Family Techniques?"

"_**Houraisan Mugen Kekkai**_." The Sandaime stated plainly. "What does that have to do with anything?"

Shiki nodded. "Yes, my Houraisan Boundless Barriers and the jutsu derived from them; those are my signature techniques. However, those aren't the **real **Houraisan Family Techniques."

Sarutobi frowned. He didn't know anything about other Houraisan techniques. "What do you mean?"

"Those sealing and barrier techniques are my personal creation and no one but I can use them, until, hopefully, Naruto inherits them. Don't you think it's a bit pretentious, calling them 'Family Techniques,' if only one person can use them?"

"The Houraisan family only has two members."

"Exactly." Shiki grinned in a rather disturbing way. Sarutobi hated it. Why couldn't he just get to the point!?

_Because he's an old bastard with a screw loose, that's because._

Hence, he would let Shiki do his little "sensei" game.

"Even if there are only two……living……Houraisan, in lack of a better word; shouldn't the Houraisan Family Techniques be something that belongs to both Saya and I?"

"So……what are these techniques?"

Shiki smiled. He loved hearing his voice; every second of it. "They're a combination of my sealing techniques, Saya's medical ninjutsu theories and onmyou-dou. You know what I'm talking about, right?"

Sarutobi nodded. He was familiar with the basic precepts of onmyou-dou, an interesting amalgam of natural science and supernatural arts based on the two fundamental concepts of **unity of opposites**and the understanding of the universe's phenomena and their interactions and relationships through the _**Gogyou **_(Five Elements).

"As you might know," Shiki continued. "Onmyou-dou refers to the understanding of the elements, their interactions and the way these……elemental energies flow through the world."

"Not unlike chakra."

"Right, Saru, not unlike chakra. According to Onmyou-dou, everything in creation resonates with one or more of the elements: wood, fire, earth, metal and water."

"Shiki, as much as I enjoy learning from you, can we **please** get to the point of how all this will help Naruto?"

Shiki sighed and, after mumbling some things about not allowing old men to enjoy themselves, indulged Sarutobi……as much as he could.

"This little combination of seals, medical jutsu and onmyou-dou Saya and I have researched has evolved into two different branches of **true** Houraisan Family Techniques. You're actually acquainted with the first one. I'm talking about Saya's _**Houraisan no Fukyuu no Ryuu **_Taijutsu style."

Sarutobi's eyes widened for an instant. The style, **Immortal Dragon of Houraisan**, has only been taught to a single individual: the First Hokage. The unorthodox and unique Taijutsu style perfectly complemented his just-as-unique _**Mokuton **_techniques, and the combination of the two made him the most powerful Shinobi of his generation. Sandaime knew that Saya wouldn't teach that style to anyone but her successor, the new Heavenly God (or Goddess) of Taijutsu. And Sarutobi was almost a hundred percent sure that person wasn't Naruto. If that were the case, Shiki would have just told him earlier when he confessed his intention to make Naruto a seal master.

"The second branch of Houraisan Family Techniques is a secret I hope won't leave this room, Hokage-sama."

All traces of camaraderie disappeared from Shiki's voice and expression, and the Hokage returned the gesture with a look just as cold. Shiki was about to share a family secret with him, by doing so he acknowledged the Hokage as a close and important friend and ally. He could only return the gesture in kind.

"I swear on my life and on this village I protect that your family secrets are safe with me."

"……fair enough."

After an excruciatingly long pause in which Sarutobi felt the boundaries of his patience being tested while Shiki took his time to shape up in his head the ideas he wanted to convey, the older of the two elders finally spoke.

"The second branch of the Houraisan Family Techniques is what Saya and I called the _**Houraisan Taifuuin no Shiki **_(Houraisan Body Sealing Methods). They are basically combining sealing techniques and medical jutsu to apply the principles and techniques of onmyou-dou to a living being instead of a location."

Shiki could (and wanted to) give more details, but that could wait until later, or until Sarutobi asked for details.

"For the third time, Shiki: Naruto. What does he have to do with this?"

"Our experimental procedure connects a geomantic active medium with the chakra circulatory system of the subject. The combination of the medium and the seals applied to both medium and subject creates a 'chakra circuit' of sorts that fulfills a specific effect according to the nature of the medium, the elemental affinities of the subject and the seals used. Saya and I would like your permission to implant one or more of these active mediums in Naruto's body; more precisely in his empty eye sockets. It's not like we can ask his parents, after all."

Sarutobi nodded. Shiki had said what he had to say. It was time for the Hokage to ask questions.

"You said it is an 'experimental' procedure. You can understand that doesn't give me much confidence, Shiki……"

Shiki nodded. "I do understand. I couldn't have easily omitted the use of that word, but I chose being completely honest with you, Saru."

"And I appreciate that."

Shiki shot the Hokage a tiny smile before explaining. "You have to understand that it's obvious that we don't get many chances to perform this procedure. We've only done it three times before, and the three subjects are already dead. I can assure you that their deaths had absolutely nothing to do with their Houraisan Body Circuits. Two of them died in battle and the third died after giving birth."

The Hokage frowned. Should he ask the identities of these three "subjects"? Maybe later.

"Is the procedure dangerous in any way?"

"As dangerous as any surgical procedure, Saru. That's why Saya and I perform it together. Saya handles the pure surgical aspect and I take care of the seals. Naruto would be unconscious the whole time and, with his incredible healing abilities, he probably wouldn't even have to rest after the surgery. One of the reasons I'm proposing this is because the subject is Naruto."

The Hokage nodded. Naruto had the ability to shrug off all but the nastiest wounds. Shiki was a seal master without peer (if nothing else). Saya's medical skills are second only to Tsunade's. If he couldn't trust those three, he wouldn't trust anyone else.

"What will the effects of this…Body Circuit be?"

"That I can't tell you. It's not like we can perform the surgery right away. First of all, Naruto has to learn how to mold chakra, so that I can test him to find out his elemental affinity. With that information we can make a list of the possible Body Circuits we could implant in Naruto. After we decide what we want to do, we have to get the appropriate mediums and I have to design the seal array. Then we do the surgery."

"How long before you can do the surgery?"

"After I get Naruto's elemental affinity? Between a week and a month, depending on how long it takes us to find the appropriate magatama."

"Magatama?"

"The mediums."

"I see……"

Sarutobi also knew about _**magatama**_: the _**tomoe**_-shaped mystical stones that strongly resonate with the elements despite being ordinary stones themselves. Other than the fact that they were supposedly very beautiful, which made them very coveted by collectors and the wealthy in general, resulting in their astronomical prices, Sarutobi didn't know anything else. Onmyou-dou and geomancy were Shiki's thing, not his.

"How will you get them?"

"I have ready access to both Wood and Metal magatama. If I need any other type I'll have to request payment for old favors or something."

The Hokage decided not to ask anything else on that topic. There was something else that bothered him.

"What about Kyuubi?"

"Certainly, the most problematic element of the procedure would be the Nine-Tails and the seal that imprisons him. The Body Circuit would have to be one that refrains from overly manipulating Naruto's chakra in a way that could possibly interfere with the seal. Since I am familiar with the workings of both _**Shiki Fuujin **_and _**Hakke no Fuuin Shiki**_, ii shouldn't be that difficult. In fact, the appropriate Circuit could even reinforce the seal."

"……really?"

"Really."

Sarutobi leaned back against his seat, lowering his face as he meditated. Shiki waited patiently for the wrinkled man's decision.

The Hokage had to ponder every angle of the situation. Shiki was proposing a procedure that would tamper with Naruto's chakra, something that could prove as useful as it could prove dangerous. He trusted the Houraisan couple, and he was absolutely certain they could pull it off, but he couldn't rush with a decision. They were talking about _**Kyuubi **_here. The theory of these Houraisan Body Sealing Methods was probably way over his head, so it was pointless of him to try to supervise the process. Jiraiya and Tsunade could probably revise Shiki's and Saya's plans, but, first, they weren't in Konoha, and second, he was sure the Houraisan couple wouldn't just show their most secret family techniques to anyone, not even the two Sannin.

There was only one thing to do, then.

"Do all the necessary preparations. When you have something definite, you'll have my approval."

* * *

It was a good day to be Uchiha Itachi. Of course, what better way to celebrate than taking off the mask for a change and enjoy a calm, quiet walk through the streets of Konoha with a smile on his face and Pocky in his mouth?

Okay, scratch the smile. Oh, and it's Lemon Cheesecake this time.

He had to admit, he had enjoyed the meeting earlier. It was an interesting reminder of why the old Sarutobi is the Hokage and a person Itachi admires……to a point. Besides, any person who knows as many jutsu as the Sandaime without Sharingan help is definitely worthy of admiration, or at least respect. It was also a nice gesture of the Hokage to give him and his team the day off. He could use a few hours of sleep, later.

Itachi was also very satisfied with the current turn of events. While his plan didn't work the way he had originally intended it to, he was grateful for that, because he had had second thoughts about it. With the way things were going, Naruto would undergo training to become a Shinobi, and a blind Shinobi simply doesn't have any other choice but being a good Shinobi.

Itachi could see it: with the Houraisan couple's guidance and training (_maybe even the Hokage will train him personally?_), Naruto would become a damn fine ninja.

Itachi was probably anticipating things a bit too much, but this is Itachi we're talking about. We all know not everything is right in the genius Uchiha's head. In any case, he was already looking forward to the possibility of fighting Naruto in the future. A lot. After all, what better way to test his own skills than setting them against a Jinchuuriki trained by three great masters of ninja arts?

_Live well and grow strong, Naruto-kun, and sooner or later………_

The eager gleam in his eyes scared the crap out of those few unfortunate ones who chose to look at him in that instant.

Itachi relaxed his expression and wondered how his _**Kage Bunshin**_ was faring against the horde of fangirls. Tough group, those gals. He'd pick an A-Class _nukenin_ over them anytime. He wondered if Naruto would be chased by fangirls at some point in the future (his brother was a given, for good or ill). A part of him doubted it. A blind man, no matter how great a person, isn't the kind of guy that attracts the shallow fangirls.

In any case, Itachi enjoyed a morning of wandering aimlessly, as much to enjoy some peace and relaxation as to avoid his foolish little brother, who would probably nag him to teach him something, anything. It was truly a shame Sasuke was too young to understand just how gay he sounded at times. However, noon rapidly approached, and his stomach demanded something other than Pocky. As wonderful his little snack is, it doesn't make for a decent lunch.

Itachi is a man who follows the most fundamental logic. Itachi hates things he cannot control. He cannot control his body's demand for food, drink, excretion, air, and etcetera. Hence, Itachi hates being hungry. He has absolutely no idea what he'll do when the urge to reproduce starts hitting him. Sex is so bothersome.

So, Itachi doesn't like hunger. For this reason, the instant he felt the first traces of a need to eat, he looked for the nearest provider of nourishment his gifted eyes could find. There was no time to go home and wait for mother to cook something for him.

"Ichiraku Ramen Bar……hmm……never saw that before………" It's to be expected: Itachi rarely shows interest in the gastronomic catalog Konohagakure has to offer. Give him a place that sells Pocky and you've got one happy Uchiha.

The prodigy didn't even need to think before approaching the ramen restaurant. Ramen worked just as well as anything else to him.

* * *

It was a good day to be Uzumaki Naruto.

First, there was the rather tense scene at the porch of the Yamanaka house. He still didn't fully get what happened there, but he didn't really mind. He liked Inoichi-san and Ino-chan, too. Naruto pretty much likes anyone who doesn't treat him like shit.

Then there was Ten-chan's (don't ask) **AWESOME **weapon shop. His brain was still processing the sheer amounts of information he had absorbed. He had never met a girl who talked so fricking much; and he knew girls use to talk A LOT. But, at least, Ten-chan talked about cool things, and her enthusiasm was contagious. They had spent two hours doing the exact same thing: Tenten grabbed a weapon, made a drilling two-minute speech about the wonders and weaknesses of the weapon while Naruto memorized its shape, weight and overall feel (he got more a few cuts while doing this), Naruto asked questions and Tenten eagerly answered them before they put the weapon back on the shelf where it belonged. Rinse and repeat.

His head was swirling with so many different names. They started with the trademark ninja tool: the shuriken. He was surprised to find out not all shuriken are star-shaped, and Tenten gladly explained why the popular "throwing star" shuriken was…well…so popular. After shuriken, Naruto met the chakram and the _**fukiya **_(blowgun), as well as the _**fukimi-bari **_or just _**fukibari**_, the little darts you use with the fukiya.

After meeting the _**Kama **_and the _**Kusari-gama**_, Tenten dragged him to the "knives" section. Kunai, daggers, cestus, _**tantou**_ and all their variations, as well as the exotic _**katar**_, _**kukri **_and _**balisong **_or "butterfly knife." He was mesmerized by Tenten's words on kunai, and how the original kunai weren't intended to be used as throwing weapons. She also taught him the different ways to grip the kunai depending on how you intended to use it.

A short exposure on _**senbon**_, _**yubi-bo**__**yawara**_, _**tambo **_and _**tonfa**_ was followed by Tenten and her little student going ga-ga over staves and spear-like weapons. Beyond the ordinary quarterstaff and spear (_**Qiang**_), there were the _**nagamaki**_,_** naginata**_,_** kanabou**_,_** yari**_,_** pudao **_and the _**bisento **_or _**guandao**_,as well as the _**ji, **_the _**gun**_ (with a short discourse on the _**nunchaku**_ included) and the _**eku**_.

By this point in time, Tenten's mother and father had already shown up (it was hard to sleep with all the noise Naruto and Tenten were making). They quietly joined Saya in her amused enjoyment of the show the two children were making.

Of course, Tenten left "the best" for last: swords. The _**jian**_, the _**dao**_, the _**butterfly sword**_, the _**chisakatana**_, the _**wakizashi**_ and the _**taijijian **_came before the lengthy explanation on the _**daitou**_: the _**katana**_, the _**tachi**_, the _**oudachi **_and the different _**shoutou**_ (_**wakizashi **_and _**kodachi**_). They devoted an entire hour to these.

When they were done, Tenten came to the sudden realization that she was awfully tired. It was to be expected, after hours of running around the store, practicing stances and talking to no end. It was a blessing that no other customers had shown up. Next to her, Naruto was sweating and panting as much as her, and she was sure his silly grin mirrored her own.

It had taken a little hyper blind blond to show her just how much she loved weapons.

Tenten chuckled, and Naruto followed her, even if it was difficult. They both needed to breathe. They also needed to sit down. That's why she didn't hesitate to follow Naruto when he slumped down and sat on the wooden floor, leaning on a crate behind them. She didn't even flinch when she felt the weight of Naruto's body on her right side. Besides, she wasn't really sure who was leaning on whom.

Meanwhile, Ken and Mariya didn't know what to make of the look on Saya's face. They only knew they didn't like it. Their dislike grew to a whole new level when Saya opened her mouth.

"Kinky."

"I don't want to know what you are thinking, Saya-sama." Mariya muttered while pulling away some rogue locks of black hair that covered her face.

Tenten's parents are a very odd couple. Some people might even mistake them for siblings, with their identical hair the color of coal (Mariya even kept it short, which made it look even more identical to Ken's) and tanned skin. However, the differences are also quite notorious. They both have green eyes, but Ken's are olive-colored while Mariya's had a darker and livelier tone, very much like Saya's (Saya's eyes are bigger and rounder, though, a consequence of her interrupted puberty). Mariya is awfully short (no taller than five feet and an inch; she's still taller than Saya by two inches, though) and Ken is a bear of a man (a good 6'4''). However, they are both very well built, consequence of life by the forge. While Mariya manages to look feminine despite her well-developed muscles, Ken is almost an exaggeration, with biceps the size of thighs that threatened to rip the sleeves of his dark blue t-shirt. Ken looks like a beast and talks like a beast. Mariya's voice is also a bit rough, to the point that some might take her for an Inuzuka.

"Oh, come on, Mariya-chan, don't tell me those two don't look as if they had just gone through a few rounds of hot, steamy-"

"Quiet, you!"

While Mariya and Tenten made a late breakfast and prepared some snacks for little Naruto, Ken and Saya finished Tenten's lesson by showing him a few more weapons: chain weapons (_**Manriki**_, _**manriki-kusari**_ and _**Surujin**_), the _**sheng bao**_ or "meteor hammer," the _**sai**_ and the _**jitte**_; and Saya finished with a complete exposition on bows. After that, the adults left Naruto and Tenten to eat, drink and be merry while they did their business.

Naruto and Saya spent four full hours in the weapons shop. They left with a heavy 14 inches by 10 inches by 10 inches wooden box that contained Shiki's special order kunai……and Tenten.

"Umm……why's Ten-chan coming with us?"

"Why? Don't you want her to come?"

"What!? No! Ten-chan's cool!" Naruto's logic is as simple as Itachi's: Tenten **likes weapons**. That's as cool as a girl can get. Of course, Naruto's words elicited a grin from the bun-haired girl.

"Hehee, I know."

"Tenten-chan is coming with us because she's a girl."

"Oh, sure, that answers all my questions."

Saya ignored Naruto's attempt at sarcasm. "She's a girl, Naruto, therefore, she has better taste than you."

"Eh?"

Tenten finished Saya's idea. "We're going to buy you clothes, Naruto!"

"………eh?"

In the following hour, Naruto learned several important facts about the female gender. It was the beginning of what he'd later call the "Uzumaki Scroll on All Things Female."

Statement Number One: **All **women like shopping. Even cool girls like Saya-neechan and Ten-chan.

Statement Number Two: **Never **get in the way of a woman and her shopping spree. She'll get scary. Or, in Saya's case, scarier.

Saya and Tenten only asked him one question: what's your favorite color, Naruto?

"Orange." No more questions were asked. It's a good thing they didn't ask him why orange. After hearing Naruto's reason they might have glomped him to death.

He got two good whacks on the head when he said there was no point in being picky with clothes for him. "It's not like it matters anymore." He said. Tenten smacked him for "saying such a horrible thing."

"Oh, no, you're not going emo on me! I won't allow it!" That was Saya.

Tenten and Naruto got to witness (well, Naruto only heard) how Saya threatened the shop owner before she could even **think** of denying Naruto entrance.

"Alright, this is what we're going to do. You are going to pretend to be a good person and show us what you have to offer to dress little Naruto here. There will be no curses, no insults, no spitting, no mumbling, no **nothing**, only a pretty smile, your best business face and voice, and hopefully some good clothes. **I **will pretend to be a happy customer and go all 'kyaa, kyaa!' over your clothes while I find something I like. When we're done, you'll bow like a good girl and say 'thank you for your patronage,' 'have a nice day,' 'come back soon' and all that crap, and I'll say 'thank you.' You with me?"

Tenten and Naruto sweatdropped when the poor woman, scared out of her mind, could only nod in response.

"That was weird."

"You said it, Ten-chan."

"So…" The girl turned to her right to look at Naruto's bandaged face. "Why does everyone hate you, anyway?"

"I wish I knew! I wish I knew, so I could do it again!"

The shop owner shrieked, probably thinking about the Demon Fox. Saya couldn't help but laugh. "Good one, Naruto."

An hour later, the trio left the store (the woman did bow and say all those things as they left……right before fainting), Naruto carrying three bags stuffed with clothes. Saya said she had to "do some work" on most of the clothes, so Naruto changed his rags for something simple: a plain white t-shirt with black sweatpants with thin orange lines on both sides. The sweatpants were Saya's recommendation. "It makes sitting on the grass a lot more comfortable." She said.

Saya had also noticed the way Tenten often eyed her elegant and sexy violet and blue cheongsam. She thought of buying one (not identical, of course; besides, Saya's clothes are custom-made) for the girl, but the store didn't have anything remotely close to such clothing. Saya made a mental note to remember Tenten's birthday. This doesn't mean Tenten left the store empty-handed, though. She, too, carried a smaller bag with a light purple Chinese short dress with mandarin collar, frog button and a simple-yet-pretty plum blossom design. Tenten thanked Saya so many times the woman got a light headache.

"Consider it my thanks for your teaching job from earlier. Just make sure to show me how it looks on you some other time. It's a real shame you won't get to see her, Naruto, really."

Naruto replied with an uncertain smile, half-condescending, half-sad. Tenten, too, was a living contradiction, her embarrassment at being complimented countered by Saya's comment on Naruto's blindness.

"Tenten-chan, would your parents mind if you join us for lunch? I mean, it's about time……"

Naruto's ears perked up at the word "lunch."

"Ah!? No, no! I've already intruded too much, Saya-san is too kind, but……"

"Oh, don't be like that!" By the way Saya's clutched her thin right arm; Tenten knew she was not getting away.

"Th-Thank you very much……"

"So, Naruto, what do you feel like having for lunch?"

The beast was unleashed.

"RAMEN!!! AT ICHIRAKU'S!!!"

On a side note, the real reason Naruto likes orange is indirectly related to Yamanaka Ino. But that's a story for another time.

* * *

When they made it to Ichiraku Ramen, Saya was glad to see a familiar face. She could swear she was **this** close to strangling Naruto, who just wouldn't stop talking about the ambrosia that is ramen. Tenten only listened patiently because Naruto had tolerated her hours-long rambling on weapons. She just had to return the gesture……even if it proved incredibly excruciating.

"My, even the great Uchiha Itachi sometimes comes down from his castle in the sky to eat with us lowly peasants."

"Eating. Don't bother me."

Saya blinked. She didn't expect that. She didn't expect Naruto to let go of her hand, either. "Hey, Naruto!"

"Don't worry, I know this place like the back of my-whoa!!!" Saya and Tenten witnessed how Naruto tripped and rolled on the floor until his body hit the stool Itachi was sitting on hard enough to knock it off balance. The Uchiha was taken by surprise by the impact and, while he managed to shift his body so as to not hit his head, he still fell rather embarrassingly on his butt next to Naruto. One second later, the noodles he had been holding with the chopsticks before Naruto made him fall, after making a neat little arc in the air, fell on Itachi's head with a loud "splooch" sound. The rest of the bowl followed a second later.

The uncomfortable silence lasted only a few seconds before Saya and Tenten erupted into laughter, joined by twelve-year-old Ayame a few seconds later, when she noticed the unusual scene. Teuchi only sighed and groaned. "Naruto……"

Naruto groaned and rubbed his head. "Why is everyone laughing……?"

"……probably because I have a bowl on ramen on my head. It's reaching my eyes. It stings."

"Look, it's 'Ramenkyo' Sharingan!!!" Saya exclaimed before howling in laughter once again. Tenten didn't get the bad joke, but scene was funny enough to prompt more laughter from her.

"Ramen!? Where!? Whoa, wait, Itachi!?"

"Yes, that would be me. Itachi of the Ramengan."

Saya froze in mid-laugh. "Oh, my God, Itachi made a joke!" She took a pensive posture. "A pretty lame one, I mean, 'Ramengan' sounds more like _**Rasengan **_than Sharingan, but, hey, it's something! There's hope for the Uchiha Clan!"

Itachi twitched. Naruto finally felt the strong scent of ramen spilled on the ground. He was in the border of a mental breakdown. "Ramen……spilled……so horrible………"

Tenten was still chuckling as she helped Naruto get up again. Itachi did the same thing himself.

The to-be weapon mistress tried to work on Naruto's mood. "We'll be eating plenty ramen soon, Naruto. Cheer up!"

"I…I guess……" Naruto muttered between sobs. Saya lifted Itachi's fallen stool with her left foot while offering a charming smile to the young Uchiha.

"Don't worry; I'll pay your ramen, too."

"I expected you to." Itachi took his seat. Naruto sat to his right, then Tenten, and Saya next to the aspiring kunoichi. The Houraisan wife was surprised to see the ramen stand completely empty (other than them) at lunchtime on such a busy street. Of course, the reason of this is that Naruto's and Itachi's combined presence creates a repulsion field of two-square radius that absolutely no one else would dare enter. No one else but a little seven-years-old Uchiha stalker.

"Hehehe, you smell like ramen." Naruto stated the obvious right after Itachi cleansed himself. Of course, both his skin and his clothes would carry the stench until they were both properly washed.

"That would be your fault, Naruto-kun."

Naruto made a pained expression. "I…spilled……ramen."

"Augh, not again." Tenten muttered before nudging the back of Naruto's head. "Get over it."

"You……seem to be fond of ramen." Itachi, too, was very good at stating the obvious. Unfortunately, Naruto was no longer able to summon up his "ramen eyes," for obvious reasons.

"YEAH! Ramen's the BEST!!!"

Tenten slammed her head against the counter. "I want to go home……"

Itachi didn't seem to mind Naruto's rerun of his lengthy explanation on why ramen is the food of the gods. If anything, he's a good listener, that Itachi. It also allowed Saya to quietly take Teuchi and his daughter aside to introduce herself and explain Naruto's situation to them. She was surprised (and very pleased) by their reaction. Teuchi's shock was such that you could actually see his eyes. Ayame was on the verge of tears. That's when Saya figured out there are people in Konoha who actually like Naruto and care about his wellbeing. She decided she would look for more of these very special persons of Naruto's early years.

"Ne, ne, Itachi, do you like ramen?" Naruto asked eagerly.

"……it is……acceptable."

"Good! You like ramen! You know, for an Uchiha bastard, you're kinda cool."

"Thank you."

Saya couldn't help but notice Itachi didn't mind Naruto calling his family a bunch of bastards.

"……but I still like Pocky better."

Naruto frowned. "Pocky? What's that?"

The three _**tomoe**_ in Itachi's crimson eyes swirled out of control, promptly freaking the shit out of Tenten. She had actually been impressed by the Uchiha's looks so far, but, with those eyes, like, no way! While Tenten made an odd grimace, Itachi was almost hyperventilating.

"You……you don't……you don't know Pocky?" His voice was raspy, his hands were shaking and his _**tomoe**_ were spinning so fast they looked like a single dark ring. Saya was amused to say the least.

_At this rate he'll awaken Mangekyo……ramen-induced Mangekyo Sharingan………what would Madara-kun think of that, I wonder?_

When Naruto shook his head in response to Itachi's question, the genius Uchiha moved. Saya reacting even faster than Itachi, moving in front of Naruto to protect him while Itachi reached into his leg holster, only to facefault when the young ANBU revealed his "weapon": two sticks of the famous biscuit stick.

Giant Double Choco.

"Eat. Now."

Itachi tapped Naruto's left shoulder with the Pocky sticks, so that Naruto understood his offer and accepted it.

"Oi, Naruto! What will it be today?" Teuchi interrupted with his best friendly voice. He agreed with Saya: it was better if he acted normally in front of Naruto, even if he felt like beating the shit out of someone. Unfortunately, the old ramen cook had chosen the worst moment to make that question. The glare he got from Itachi almost made him wet his pants.

Itachi's logic told him he had every reason to glare at the man. How could that old fool dare to interrupt him such an important moment!? He was introducing a poor, ignorant soul to the wonderful world of Pocky!

"Eat. NOW." Itachi repeated, pronouncing each word very slowly. By this point, Tenten was wondering if all Uchihas were so……weird.

The damage was done, though. Naruto's focus returned to his one true love. "Hmm……I had pork last time………so give me some beef this time!"

Ayame took the order; her father was still incapable of speech. Saya wondered if Itachi had added a Genjutsu to his glare. "Beef for Naruto! Everyone else?"

"Same……" Itachi growled.

"Miso ramen for me!" Saya made her order.

"Umm……would shrimp be okay to ask, Saya-sama-oww……Saya-san……?"

"One shrimp for the cute girl here!" That was Saya's answer after yet another smack to Tenten's head.

With the orders taken, Itachi could return to what was truly important. "Naruto-kun."

"Uh? Ah! These!" Naruto quickly remembered the sticks still in his right hand.

"Eat."

And eat Naruto did. "Um…hmm……hey……chocolate……hey……hey, this is pretty good!"

Itachi……smiled.

Saa clutched Tenten's right shoulder with her left hand, while her right hand clutched her chest. "Oh my God, he smiles!!!" She hissed.

"Uh……Saya-san……it hurts……"

"Tenten-chan, don't even blink. This is one of those once-in-a-lifetime experiences. The greatest prodigy of his generation, Uchiha Itachi, is talking about Pocky with Uzumaki Naruto. And he's smiling!"

"Umm……okay?"

Tenten might not share Saya's enthusiasm, but a few yards away, there was a boy hidden behind a post whose feelings mirrored Saya's. The post itself wondered if there was some kind of space-time fracture. The post was expecting a shy, dark Hyuuga weirdo, not a bratty Uchiha, and it was expecting her a few years later. There was even a little nigh-invisible inscription on its surface that read "reserved for Hyuuga Hinata."

Uchiha Sasuke had found his brother several minutes before. He had just about decided to go there and nag Itachi until he agreed to help his little brother with his little training until Naruto made his loud and messy entrance. Sasuke went into hiding and from there he witnessed a scene out of some batshit crazy dream.

Itachi! His brother! He was being all talkative……and……nice and……stuff! Itachi rarely says a word during their meals at home! He didn't punish that blond idiot for ridiculing him in that way! He was talking about food! He made a stupid "Ramengan" joke!!!

HE OFFERED POCKY TO THAT KID!!!! ITACHI **NEVER** SHARES HIS POCKY!!!! AND HE WAS SMILING!!!!

It was the first time he saw his brother smiling like that. It hurt. It hurt and it made him angry. Needless to say, the infant Uchiha gathered his anger into a tiny little ball he clutched very tightly so as to better aim it at the most likely target: one Uzumaki Naruto.

"Hey, you!"

Saya and Tenten immediately turned to face the newcomer. Itachi groaned and pondered the possibility of replacing himself with a shadow clone. _But I'm still hungry……_

Naruto was still enjoying the many Pocky sticks he had received from Itachi, who had insisted on Naruto trying many different flavors. He was currently on Coconut, and he was already wondering if there was any ramen-flavored Pocky.

"Sasuke……" Itachi muttered. The younger brother shot a glance at his older brother, but his eyes quickly returned to the only one who had ignored him.

"Hey, you! Look at me!"

Itachi, Saya and Tenten rolled their eyes together.

"Sorry." Munch. "Can't do." Munch. "Eating." Munch. Yes, Naruto was growing fond of Pocky.

"Naruto, that's bad manners." Saya decided to help Sasuke, if a little. "Itachi's little brother is talking to you."

Naruto won't disobey Saya. Quickly swallowing the last stick (Mango), he "looked up" at Itachi's direction.

"You have a brother, Itachi!"

Sasuke twitched. How could his brother accept such familiarity from this………this……non-Uchiha!

Itachi sighed. He could see the direction this was going to. "Yes, Naruto-kun. This is my brother, Sasuke. He's your elder by a few months."

"Uh-huh." Turning down to "look" at Sasuke, Naruto made his greeting. "Yo."

Sasuke clenched his little fists. Was this guy trying to make fun of him? "Take off the bandages."

A gesture from Saya stopped Tenten from speaking her mind.

"Naruto-kun is blind, Sasuke." Itachi explained. He didn't like explaining things. "It wouldn't make any difference."

"Yeah. Sorry." Naruto said plainly. His nostrils were warning him that his lunch was approaching him. "Ne, Itachi, do you have one more of those Pocky things for me before we get our ramen?"

Itachi was all smiles after that. Saya and Tenten had to admit, it was mesmerizing. "Of course. Try Yogurt Pocky."

"Where does he get all that Pocky from?" Tenten whispered. Saya shrugged.

"Probably storage seals of some sort?"

Tenten made a mental note to ask about storage seals at home or at the Academy.

Sasuke's temper was reaching its limit. Fate was already working towards the worst possible result.

"………I hate you."

The Pocky stick in Naruto's right hand stopped halfway to his mouth. "………join the club."

"…eh?"

"Almost everyone I know hates me. Almost everyone who doesn't hate me is right here right now. Look around for the Naruto Haters club; I don't know where they meet."

Tenten placed a comforting hand on Naruto's shoulder after some encouraging from Saya, who had bitten her lower lip.

_This kid……he has so much darkness in his heart, yet he still smiles like that……how do you do that, Naruto?_

Itachi 'hnned'.

_In a way……he might already be stronger than me._

Fortunately, Teuchi and his daughter arrived to lighten the mood. "Four bowls of ramen ready to go!"

Naruto immediately turned his back to Sasuke, ready to engorge. "ONLY four!?" He joked, and the joke didn't escape the old ramen cook.

"One bowl at a time, Naruto, one bowl at a time."

Please don't blame Sasuke for what did next. He's unaware of the circumstances, he's just a child and he's not used to being ignored by someone other than his brother.

Sasuke clutched Naruto's t-shirt at the same time Naruto's eager hands received a bowl of steaming, delicious ramen.

"Don't ignore me!" The young Uchiha complained as he pulled.

Time seemed to flow slower. Naruto; unable to see what happened; could only feel how the bowl slipped out of his hands. Everyone else watched the beautiful parabolic curve the bowl made as it crossed the air, and how inertia pulled the bowl's contents out of its grasp. The bowl moved in one direction, the toppings let gravity drag them to the ground. The ramen flew straight……to Itachi's face.

Cluunk. Clunk. Clunk.

That was the sound of the bowl bouncing two times before reaching halt on the ground right outside of the restaurant. **That** Naruto could perceive, soon followed by the splashing sound of ramen falling from the air……and from Itachi, who was starting to hate ramen and not for its taste.

The silence persisted as those present awaited Naruto's reaction. The blond, after several seconds of doing absolutely nothing, very slowly turned around to "look" at Sasuke. The younger Uchiha tensed his body, ready for anything. Naruto took deep, slow breaths.

Silence.

Two small hands wrapped around Sasuke's neck and squeezed.

"TEMEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!" Naruto roared as he lunged at his to-be-rival.

The three customers, the cook and his daughter watched the childish scuffle in stunned silence for a moment. Surprisingly enough, Ayame was the first to speak.

"Well, I kinda expected that."

Teuchi nodded. Saya looked at Naruto delivering a mean right hook before the two little combatants stood up as one.

"Oof, that's got to hurt." Saya muttered.

Naruto's left hand clutched the hem of Sasuke's blue t-shirt with a strong grip.

"Aren't you going to stop them?" Saya asked Itachi, who slowly shook his head, drizzling drops of ramen all over the place.

"Sasuke wanted training." He gestured at the fight. "There it is."

"You're mean, Itachi-kun." Saya added with a grin. Tenten was frowning.

"Sasuke-kun has been at the Academy for a few months already. He has a better grasp of how to fight. We have to stop them or Naruto-"

"Naruto's tough, Tenten-chan." Saya interrupted. "Even if Sasuke-kun lands more hits, Naruto hits harder. Haven't you noticed? Naruto's blind, yet he's managed to land several hits already."

"He can't see, but he's using his left hand to gain a reference of Sasuke's position. He's smart, Naruto-kun." Itachi commented.

"I still think we should stop them." Tenten muttered. Indeed, as she predicted, Sasuke was slowly gaining the upper hand.

"Naruto! A bowl of ramen is waiting for you!!!" That was Ayame.

Naruto threw Sasuke away like a ragged doll, showing that he had way more strength than you'd guess from his little body. "Ramen!!!" While there were a few bruises here and there, and his new clothes were dirtied, Naruto seemed perfectly fine. Three seconds later, he was swallowing noodles and gulping down soup as if there were no tomorrow.

Once again, the others were relegated to watching him in stunned silence. They all stiffened when Naruto suddenly interrupted his meal.

"Oi, teme!"

Sasuke, who looked as if someone had dropped a steamroller on him, growled. "What?"

Naruto smiled and offered him his bowl. "Want some?"

The younger Uchiha raised an eyebrow but, seeing no reason to deny Naruto, and too proud to evade confrontation, he joined the group at the counter. The ramen-soaked Itachi moved a seat to the left, allowing Sasuke to take the seat to Naruto's left. Taking a pair of chopsticks and burying them in the sea of noodles, Sasuke took a mouthful of Naruto's heavenly meal. Itachi resumed his own bowl. He had long given up on cleaning himself. He'd just take a long, cold shower. Tenten had an odd smile on her face. She'd never understand boys.

Saya narrowed her gaze when she noticed the way Sasuke slowly chewed and swallowed. She tried to stop the inevitable, to no avail. Sasuke spoke again.

"…………I don't like this."

Perfect stillness. Perfect silence. The world at a standstill.

And then, motion.

"TEMEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

"………I'm not stopping them this time." Ayame mumbled while grimacing at the scene the Uzumaki and the Uchiha were making in her father's ramen stand.

* * *

**Author's Notes: **well, first of all, thanks a lot for your reviews and your valuable comments. They're always encouraging and inspire me to write more. Well, other than that, there isn't much to say. Poor Sasuke. Jealously can be such a troublesome thing.

Alright, next chapter! Naruto spends the afternoon with Shiki, to learn about chakra, jutsu and what it means to be a shinobi. Naruto begins a long and arduous road. He knows the rewards will be great, but that doesn't make it any easier. We'll quickly explore the most important events of the next two and a half months, to reach a halt right before a very important day in Naruto's life: Hinata's seventh birthday. Oh, and I think Shikamaru and Chouji might show up at one point.


	6. Phantasmagoria under the Autumn Sky

_**Phantasmagoria of Dichromatic Eyes**_

**Chapter 3**

**Phantasmagoria under the Autumn Sky ****-**** Dichromatic Eyes**

Naruto's and Saya's return to the Houraisan grounds didn't go unnoticed. _**Hakke Happou Fuuin Kekkai **_was absolutely perfect in this aspect, and Shiki got plenty of warning of the two's arrival. Since Naruto and Saya weren't using the famous ninja dash or the just as famous ninja tree jumping, it would take a minute or so for them to reach the house.

His hands, which had been moving on their own for quite a while already, finally stopped, eliciting prompt groans from the two-tailed twin nekomata that lazily rested on his lap. Two pairs of identical orange eyes looked up at him in blatant complaint.

"We're done for now." Shiki stated, and the two cats glared.

"Not enough." They declared as one.

"We're out of time."

"Not enough." They repeated. Shiki narrowed his gaze, but there was a grin on his face.

"It's never enough for you two. I've pampered you way too much."

"Not enough." The nekomata didn't give a damn. Being caressed by their venerable master was their very own personal nirvana. They wouldn't renounce to it so easily. Besides, he always relented eventually, and that day wouldn't be the exception.

"………later today. I really need to work on Naruto right now. You understand, don't you?"

Naruto and Saya were already visible amongst the sea of trees. The cats' superior sight granted them a perfect view of Saya's scowl under the shadows created by the many trees. Standing up and stretching their identical black bodies the way only cats do, the two decided to pull a little prank before leaving. Chen, always the more straightforward of the two, lifted her body, her front paws resting on Shiki's chest long enough for her to plant a good lick on her summoner's lips, disappearing in a cloud of smoke before he could even think of pushing her away.

Shiki sighed and looked down at Shin, who was shaking her head in mild amusement. She was already feeling the waves of killing intent Saya projected, so she simply rubbed her face affectionately on Shiki's left leg before disappearing.

With the nekomata gone, Shiki turned his full attention to his wife and his new pupil. While Saya's narrowed gaze and tight jaw were no surprise, the way Naruto "looked up" at Saya didn't pass unnoticed. Shiki (correctly) guessed Naruto, too, had felt Saya's killing intent. Of course, the poor boy didn't know what to make of it.

"Naruto."

After saying their goodbyes to the Uchiha siblings, which included a lot of glaring from the youngest one (which is kinda stupid, since Naruto is, well, blind), and making sure Tenten made it safely to her home, Naruto and Saya returned to their home for the boy's afternoon training. Tenten had invited them to accompany her for her own personal training; eager to show Naruto and Saya her throwing skills, but Saya insisted Naruto had important training of his own. They didn't leave without a promise to meet again, of course. On their walk back to the Houraisan grounds; Saya gave her pupil a very basic lecture on the nature of sound, something she believed Naruto needed to understand. Using the simplest example (a bell ringing), Saya explained the concepts of **compression **and **rarefaction**, and how sound is nothing but fluctuations of pressure in a medium (generally air) traveling in the form of a wave. Naruto also learned the concepts of **frequency **(the speed at which the air pressure fluctuation switches from compression to rarefaction) and **amplitude **(the level of air pressure in each fluctuation). She didn't stop until she was confident Naruto had understood the very basics of the physics of sound. Besides, it wasn't like he was ready for more detailed explanations, and he didn't really need to know much more on that topic……yet.

Naruto was still digesting this latest lesson and wondering just what sudden feeling of fear he had experimented was when Shiki's voice reached his ears startling him.

"Ah, Shiki-san! Um……good afternoon!"

"Good afternoon to you too, Naruto. I apologize for not greeting you this morning, but I had very urgent business with the Hokage."

"Nah, that's cool." The boy quickly dismissed Shiki's excuses.

"Did you have lunch already, dear?"

Shiki winced under his wife's disturbing grin and the odd inflection in her voice. "No, I haven't."

Saya rolled her eyes before resting her left hand on Naruto's hair. "Well, kid, since my husband here isn't even capable of preparing himself a decent meal……"

Shiki groaned. Of course he knew how to cook; he just would rather eat something made by his lovely (to his eyes mostly) wife.

"……it seems you'll have some free time while I fix up something for him. Why don't you wash your teeth and face?"

"Sure."

Shiki was quick to let Naruto know that his few belongings had already been brought from his apartment. He also made a few comments on Naruto's new clothes. Naruto made sure to memorize the shape and weight of his toothbrush when compared to the other two. The last thing he wanted was screwing up and accidentally using Shiki's or Saya's.

A while later, while Shiki ate the simple meal Saya had quickly prepared for him, he noticed his wife's very subtle hand signals, calling him over to the kitchen.

"Look at him." She said when Shiki got close enough, her voice barely audible to ensure only Shiki heard her.

Shiki obviously did as told. After washing his face, teeth and hands as suggested; Naruto, having nothing else to do, decided to sit under the doorframe of the house's main entrance, leaning against the same doorframe in a way that allowed the couple to look at his left profile. Unable to see anything, Naruto was immersed in thoughts of his own. It wasn't very difficult to figure out the kinds of thoughts in his head.

"It happened this morning, too. The moment he's left alone, the moment he gets some time to think………I tried to keep him busy, and I'm sure he really had fun, but……when we were at the store, when I was talking to Ken-kun and Mariya-chan and Tenten-chan was preparing breakfast, he was alone, and he had the same expression."

Shiki remained silent for a while, watching the stone-faced expression on Naruto's profile.

"We can only imagine what he feels; what he is thinking. He has lost something immense; something he will never recover. There's nothing we can do about that."

"There is only one thing we can do. Come."

Naruto's ears quickly warned him of Shiki sitting down by his left. It didn't warn him of Saya pulling him up by holding him under his armpits. A few seconds later, he was sitting on her lap, her back pressed against the surprisingly firm mounds of her borderline B-cups.

"Training time?"

Shiki shook his head. The falsity and sheer emptiness of Naruto's words and expression was unmistakable. "Nah, not yet, boy. I want to talk for a while."

Naruto frowned. He didn't want to talk. Just like he didn't want to enjoy the feel of being hugged with authentic kindness and tenderness. However, it was obvious he didn't have a choice.

"It still hurts, doesn't it?"

"Hmm……it more like itches under the bandages."

Shiki narrowed his gaze, even if Naruto couldn't see him. "Knock it off, boy. I know you are not that stupid, and I know you know what I meant."

Naruto's only reaction was lowering his head and remaining awfully quiet.

"Kid, now is when I would offer all sorts of comforting words, saying I understand how you feel and crap like that. I won't."

Saya stayed silent, waiting for her husband to finish. While she couldn't agree with his choice of words, she knew him better than anyone. She'd wait. She could always scold him later.

"I'll be completely honest with you, kid. Your life so far has sucked. Totally. And I'm sure you agree with me."

Naruto's tense body told Shiki the boy definitely agreed.

"Saya and I have had our share of bad moments, but your life has been terrible since the day you were born. And what happened yesterday was just inexcusable. What happened to you was something no person should ever have to go through, especially not a child. What I'm trying to say is, well……boy, you need to put some serious thought on what you're going to do from now on."

"I'm going to be a ninja!!!" Naruto exploded in childish anger. Saya still refused to let go, though. "You said I could become a ninja!!!"

"And we didn't lie, Naruto. But we cannot help you become a ninja just because you want to."

"What!? Why!?"

Shiki answered with a question Naruto didn't expect. "Do you hate Konoha, Naruto?"

The initial reaction would have been yelling something of the likes of "What!? NO!!!"

In fact, he was about to, when an overwhelming avalanche of memories assaulted him. Putting some thought into it, Konoha was a really, **really** crappy place. Almost everyone ignored him, insulted him, made fun of him or denigrated him in some other way. He had no friends his age. Most of the people he could think of as his friends he had met in the last twenty-four hours! The list was pretty damn short, actually: old man Hokage, old man Teuchi, Ayame-chan, Shinobu-neesan, Saya-neechan, Ten-chan, Itachi and Mr. H. Maybe, just maybe, Shiki-san. Ino-chan seemed a nice girl, but they hadn't really talked at all. And there was the ramen-hating idiot, Sasuke. Seriously, there is something terribly wrong with the Uchiha clan. How could he possibly **not like ramen**?

Really, in Naruto's mind, Itachi seemed to be the only decent and sane Uchiha.

Back on topic. Long story short, Naruto was wondering: did he really not hate Konoha? He had every reason to hate the Hidden Village. However……

"I hate the people who hate me. They either ignore me or insult me. If they insult me, I insult them back. They leave me alone after a while. If they ignore me……well, I don't do anything. I don't really care anymore."

"I hate the bastard who did this to me, too. Too bad he's dead. I want to kick his ass."

Shiki didn't like the harsh tone of Naruto's voice. "You still haven't answered my question."

"I didn't? I hate the people who are bad to me. I like the people who are nice to me."

Shiki nodded. He guessed that was the most he would get from Naruto.

"Naruto, a shinobi of Konoha is a tool of Konoha. A tool for the Hokage's use. If you become a shinobi, you will have to protect the Hokage and his people. Even those who hate you and treat you badly. Can you do that?"

This wasn't really new knowledge for Naruto. He had always been aware of this, to a point. He just never had anyone so bluntly telling him this he already knew, until that moment.

Of course, Naruto's quick yet childish mind had an answer for Shiki's question.

"Working for the old man doesn't sound that bad. Maybe I can get him to tell me about my parents that way. And if I have to protect everyone, that means I get to take care of all the people I like, so it's okay. If I also help the people who hate me, they might start to like me, too! And if they don't like me even if I protect them, that makes them total bastards! Why should I care about total bastards liking me!?"

Saya was holding her laughter. "Raw logic at its finest, husband dear."

"What?"

"Nothing, Naruto." Saya muttered sweetly as she patted Naruto's head, much to his discomfort.

Shiki had to agree with his wife. Naruto's arguments were a basic exposition of simple, flawless logic. Naruto wanted to be a shinobi, that's certain. His only option, then, was becoming a shinobi of Konoha, because there's just no way Sarutobi and the council would just let their Jinchuuriki leave. Sarutobi trusts Naruto, the Fourth and his seal enough to let Naruto try to become a ninja. And Shiki trusted Naruto would be able to perform his duties as a shinobi. Neither Sarutobi nor anyone else had anything to fear from Naruto. He wasn't gonna go psycho and kill everyone in his way anytime soon.

Naruto's motives might not be the most altruistic. In fact, they were quite selfish. However, who said ninjas were honorable or altruistic? Naruto wasn't really power-hungry……well, he was, just not for a bad reason. Wanting to become a ninja to gain respect and acceptance isn't much worse than doing it for the sake of one's clan. Some even did it for the chance to travel and see new places, as ridiculous as it sounds. Naruto wouldn't be Hokage material anytime soon, but he could be a damn fine shinobi.

_I'll make sure of it……I owe it to you……to the Fourth………and to the one inside you, I guess………_

"Alright, say it again, Naruto: why do you want to be a ninja?"

"To be strong!"

That was the immediate objective. Respect, acknowledgement; all those things would come with time. For Naruto, "to be strong" meant a lot more than what those three words obviously suggest. For Naruto, strength was a synonym of accomplishment, satisfaction, and fulfillment. Naruto felt incomplete, far more so without his eyes, and only the strength to stand up for himself would give him that sense of completion he so desperately needed. He wanted the acceptance of others, but, unconsciously, he also wanted to prove he didn't really need it.

Naruto is stubborn like that.

"Then." Shiki stood on his two feet, pulling Naruto away from Saya's embrace to make him stand up, too. "What do you say about us making you strong?"

Naruto beamed, and Saya once again regretted the loss of his eyes. "Alright!!!"

"It won't be easy, Naruto. Saya and I both are harsh teachers, and the training will be very tough."

"Bring it on!"

"You think you can handle it?"

"HA!!! You don't know Uzumaki Naruto! I'm going to show you! I'm going to show everyone! I'll be strong! I'll kick ass!!! I'll be the best Konoha has ever seen!!! The best ninja in Konoha!!!"

Shiki eyed his wife, who returned the look with a grin that reminded him of his overly affectionate nekomata. He shuddered.

"Naruto, the best ninja in Konoha is called the Hokage."

"Eh? Hokage?"

The trio remained silent for a few seconds. Shiki and Saya could almost hear the wheels grinding in the boy's little head.

"……sure, why not!? Can you imagine the looks on their faces if I became Hokage!?"

Shiki sweatdropped at the sight of his wife snickering. Apparently, she could.

"Naruto, that's not a very good reason to become Hokage."

The boy pouted. "Alright, alright, no Hokage. But I'll still show everyone not to mess with me! They'll be sorry they've been such jerks all this time!!"

The boy's mood completely renewed; Shiki asked him to wait while he finished his meal and washed his face and teeth. Naruto nodded eagerly, looking forward to whatever Shiki had in store for him that afternoon. He even called Shiki "Shiki-sensei;" a habit that would never fully disappear.

However, Shiki's plans were abruptly truncated by his own wife of all people. Before he could sit back on the dining table to finish his already-cold meal, he felt himself being dragged by an overwhelming force. Saya only let go of him after the two locked themselves in their bedroom and Saya had him pinned against the locked door behind him.

"I didn't know you could be so……fatherly. You were amazing." Shiki didn't like the hungry look in his wife's green eyes. Well, not that he really disliked it; in fact, he loved it, but……

"Saya, not now……"

"You. Me. Bed. NOW."

Shiki rolled his eyes. Seriously, his wife picked some moments……

"Since when are you aroused by me being a responsible adult?"

Saya was already nuzzling against her man's neck. "Since ever. Why do you think I fell for you in the first place?"

"For my good looks and undeniable charisma?"

Nuzzling had become nibbling. "Among other things……you talk too much."

"Ah…so you noticed."

A second later, he was pinned to the bed, and a pair of hungry eyes stared down at him.

"No more talking."

"I really need to get back to Naruto."

"He can wait."

"But what if he hears? I mean, you're really loud…"

"Privacy seals."

"I don't really think this is the best t-"

He never got to finish the sentence.

A while later Saya was screaming at the top of her lungs in unbridled ecstasy.

Thank Kami for privacy seals.

* * *

Twenty minutes later, when Shiki emerged from the master bedroom leaving behind a half-awake, half-asleep Saya on the bed, his attention was claimed by the most random tune he had ever heard. In fact, it wasn't even a tune. It was just a bunch of musical tones picked randomly.

"I take it you have met the piano, Naruto."

The boy, caught _in fraganti_, quickly let go of the bulky instrument and offered an apologetic look at his teacher, or at least as apologetic as you can look with your eye sockets bandaged. On his part, Shiki was for the first time grateful for Naruto's blindness. His messed-up hair and clothes and his sweaty, flushed face made quite the embarrassing sight.

"S-Sorry……" Naruto apologized sheepishly. He had pressed the keys accidentally and he had spent the last five minutes amused by the strange music-making piece of furniture.

"Don't be, I don't really care. Of course, it would be better if you could actually play it instead of that musical disaster you were just making."

"Ehehehe……" Naruto was a bit embarrassed, and Shiki was shaping a curious mental image: Uzumaki Naruto, piano virtuoso.

"That would be a sight to behold."

"What?"

"Nothing, kid. Follow me."

Shiki guided Naruto out of the house. Unlike Saya, Shiki didn't bother holding Naruto's hand. It wasn't a problem; the boy was already acquainted with the place, and he had little trouble following Shiki's footsteps.

"Ne, sensei."

"Yes?"

"What does Saya-neechan do while we train?"

_Ehh……enjoy the afterglow?_

"Well, she's a housewife. I guess she has house chores to do. If she doesn't, she'll tend to the plants and flowers. If the plants and flowers do not need attention, I guess she will practice."

"Practice?"

Shiki sat down, leaning his back on a tree, and he pulled Naruto down so that he would sit in front of his teacher.

"Taijutsu."

Even civilians know what Taijutsu means. Naruto is no exception. "Really? Is she good?"

"You kidding me? She's the best."

"Really? She's strong?"

"Very strong. Stronger than me, definitely."

"Stronger than the Hokage?"

"What? Nah, Sarutobi's just too good. Her Taijutsu is definitely better than Sarutobi's, but he's got her very beat in everything else."

"Mm-hmm………is she stronger than Mr. H?"

"Maybe. Probably." _Definitely……ehehehe, "Mr. H"_

"What about you, sensei? Are you strong?"

Shiki sighed. He should have expected that question. "You know, kid, sometimes I don't know myself."

Naruto tilted his head, showing his open lack of understanding.

"I guess it's matter of circumstances. I mean, no two battles are identical. For example, Saya is quite more skilled than me in combat, but I still defeat her sometimes when we spar. I'm not really much of a fighter, Naruto. But I'm a pretty darn good teacher……or at least I think so. I'll let you be the judge of that. So!" Naruto was startled by Shiki's clap. "Shall we get started?"

Naruto nodded eagerly. "Umm!!!"

"Alright. So, why don't you first tell me what you learned from Saya this morning?"

Naruto promptly made a very abridged version of Saya's lessons, starting from describing the seven senses and the concepts of precision, attention and perfection for a shinobi. Then he quickly described the events at Ten-chan's weapon shop. He finished with Saya's few words on the nature of sound.

Shiki properly praised Naruto for remembering so much, eliciting the compulsory embarrassed grin and sheepish laugh. Shiki never expected Naruto to recite Saya's lesson word by word, but it was good to know the kid at least caught the important ideas. He also had to praise Saya's foresight at explaining the basics of sound to Naruto.

"Alright, boy. As you know already, Saya will handle your physical and natural perception training in the mornings. I'll teach you how to use chakra: how to mold it, channel it and how to do the many things shinobi do with chakra, jutsu being only one of them."

Naruto was already bursting with excitement. "I'll also teach you several others things the Konoha Academy doesn't cover properly; things I believe any shinobi aspiring to greatness should know."

"Like what?"

"Naruto, ninja do many things other than fighting. Didn't you know?"

Naruto frowned. "Well, I guess they do, but……I don't really know what ninjas do………"

"Naruto; let me make this clear. More than training you to be a ninja, I want to train you to be **successful**. While most of it will involve proper ninja training, if I can, and if you want me to, I can teach many, **many** other things. I can teach you how to rise through the ranks of nobility, dealing with intrigues and other political matters. I can teach you everything you need to know about military leadership, from strategy to tactics, logistics, command and diplomacy. I can teach you how to play the market: trade routes, consortiums; everything you need to know to control trade and rise to dominance. I can help you become a merchant far wealthier and more powerful than the daimyo himself."

Naruto was blinking behind his bandages. He was half-amazed, half-"What the heck!?"

"Of course, you'll learn other, ninja-like things. Like stealth, for example, but you'll also learn that at the Academy……I hope. I'm definitely teaching you all about intelligence: gathering, analysis, protection and dissemination of information. That's one of the most important things I can teach you if you want to be a truly excellent shinobi. In any case, we could go on the whole day with me telling you all the things I can and would like to teach you, but we really need to get started, don't we?"

Naruto nodded slowly. The lesson hadn't even started and his brain already felt a bit wobbly.

"However…" Shiki continued. "…before we get to business, there's a little something I'd like to do."

A scroll unrolled and a hand seal later, Naruto had been given something to hold for Shiki. "……sticks?"

"Stalks, Naruto. Yarrow stalks, to be precise. Fifty of them."

"What are they for?"

"Divination."

"Divination? As in predicting the future and stuff?" Naruto crunched up his nose. "I don't believe in those things."

"Good. Neither do it. I firmly believe your future is something shaped by you and those around you. I said they're used for divination, but I'll just use it to figure out your hexagram."

"My what?"

Naruto's question prompted the first of Shiki's many lengthy and borderline impossible explanations. Shiki talked about things like dynamic balance of opposites, inevitability of change, evolution of events, finding order in chaos and a symbol system used to represent processes and their variations. It took seven full minutes for Shiki to settle down enough to realize that Naruto couldn't possibly understand nine tenths of what he had said. The only reason Naruto was still listening was out of pure respect for his new sensei. Not that Shiki could know this. With his head bandaged as it was, it was impossible to tell if Naruto was awake or asleep.

"……Naruto."

"Ah! Eh……ahahaha……sorry……"

"Don't be. That was pretty boring, wasn't it?"

"I……don't really know. It isn't even boring if I can't understand a word."

"……good point. But, make this your real first lesson, Naruto."

The boy tilted his head, and Shiki explained his point.

"The greatest asset in your arsenal won't be your ninja tools, or your weapons, or your jutsu. Not even your chakra. Your greatest asset……"

Shiki tapped Naruto's forehead with a finger.

"……is your mind, and the knowledge contained in it. Knowledge is **power**, Naruto. Knowing something your opponent doesn't is always an advantage. That's why you must always **listen**. Listen, Naruto! Listen and **learn**! No matter how boring, mundane or outright absurd it is. Listen and learn. You never know, that little inane piece of info might end up being the difference between life and death or success and failure. This, Naruto, could be the most important lesson I'll ever teach you. Never forget it. Ah, of course, never forget to always verify every piece of info. Knowledge is only useful to you when it's true."

Naruto nodded even more eagerly than usual. He could feel the passion and intent in Shiki's voice. He could tell he had been told something very important. No, Naruto would **never **forget those words.

"So, I'll try to repeat what I just explained, but I'll try to make it understandable, okay?"

"Alright!"

For this rerun, Shiki preferred to ignore the philosophy and cosmology Naruto couldn't possibly care about. He told Naruto about the Eight Trigrams: arrangements of three lines where each line is either solid, representing _**yang**_, or broken, representing _**yin**_. He told Naruto that you can combine two trigrams to make a hexagram (six-line arrangement), and that there are 64 possible hexagram combinations. He explained that each hexagram represents a description of anything; a state or a process. Finally, to keep Naruto's attention, Shiki revealed that the analyses and principles derived from these hexagrams have been used in many different applications. He mentioned the martial styles, Eight Trigrams Palm, Eight Trigrams Sword and Eight Trigrams Staff. He mentioned the advanced _**Jyuuken**_ techniques derived from Eight Trigrams Divination, as well as some techniques in other styles, like Saya's _**Houraisan no Fukyuu no Ryuu**_. He finally mentioned that sealing techniques are very heavily based on the Eight Trigrams and the concepts associated to those.

"There's no real reason I'm going to do this. You could call it a 'family ritual' of sorts. I did it with Saya and I've done it with a few close friends. I guess I just want to do it with my new apprentice. Now, you are going to follow my instructions very carefully. There is no rush, so take your time, and don't hesitate to ask if you don't understand something. While we're doing this, you are going to try to relax and think only of yourself."

"Myself?"

"Yes, you. Think only about you: who you are, things you like or dislike, people you've met. Think only about you and your life, and what you want to become. Whatever it is, think only about yourself. Got it?"

This could be followed by a lengthy and detailed explanation on the Yarrow Sticks Eight Trigrams Divination Method, but it won't. Let's just say that, ten minutes later, Naruto had his first trigram. Following Shiki's instructions, he drew the three-line arrangement on a scroll his teacher provided. Since it was just painting lines, his blindness wasn't much of a handicap. After doing it a first time, Naruto had a good grasp of the method, and it took him only four minutes to do it a second time. With Naruto's part done, Shiki quickly explained the results.

"Your inner trigram is _**yin-yang-yin**_. A broken line, a solid line, and again a broken line. This is _**kan**_, the gorge, associated with the element of Water."

"Your outer trigram is _**yang-yang-yin**_. This is _**xun**_, the ground, associated with the element of Wind."

"Wait, ground and wind? Then what about earth?"

"That would be _**kun**_, the field. _**Kun**_ is associated with earth. Just to let you know, _**kun**_ is one of mine and Saya's trigrams."

"Anyway, Naruto. Together, your two trigrams make the hexagram _**huan**_, which represents dispersion and dissolution."

"What does that mean?"

"It could mean anything, Naruto. The only thing that is certain is that you are a force of endings."

"Endings?"

"Yes, Naruto, endings. It means you are a person whose role is to put an end to things. What things? Once again it could be anything. If you are a ninja, you'll be an ender of lives. But you might also be an ender of evils, an ender of hate or an ender of atrocities. You might be the end of peace, or maybe the end of war. Only time will tell, so don't think too much about it. I assure you it will make more sense in the future."

Naruto nodded. He didn't really know what to make of all that stuff. Shiki took the stalks from his hands.

"Now that we're done with that, let's get started with the real lesson."

That got Naruto's attention. It was time for training, traning!!!

"Today's topic is, of course, chakra. Honestly, we still don't have a very good grasp of what the heck chakra truly is. Honestly, most people don't even care. Ninjas only need to know how to use it, not what it is. The only exceptions to this are medic-nins and seal masters. Both need a very profound understanding of the nature of chakra to be able to use their most advanced techniques. Currently, the best study of the nature of chakra is a little book appropriately named 'Of the Nature of Chakra', written by my wife Saya and her prized apprentice Tsunade a few decades ago. It's so good that it's obligatory study material for all aspiring medic-nins in all five elemental countries. However, it is also ridiculously complicated, so most other shinobi do not bother with it. Most shinobi are happy with the good old textbook definition of chakra taught at the Academy, which is what you're getting right now."

"Chakra is seen as a form of energy composed of the combination and interaction of two components. The first is the body energy; the energy that our cells store; the energy we call 'stamina'. It's the energy we deplete when we work and make physical and mental effort and the energy we replenish by eating and resting. With me so far?"

When Naruto nodded, Shiki continued. "The second component is something we call 'spiritual energy'. We still aren't completely sure of what this 'spiritual energy' is, because, unlike body energy, we cannot really measure it. We can't tell when we have lots of 'spiritual energy' or when we are running out of it. The only thing that we know (and we aren't even very sure about this, either) is that this 'spiritual energy' grows with age, training, meditation and experience. Saya's and Tsunade's theory is that this 'spiritual energy' is nothing but very specific electric signals created by the brain, which interact in some way with the body energy stored in our bodies, inducing a chemical reaction that results in chakra. Hence, 'spiritual energy' doesn't really increase; it's our brain working more and more efficiently."

Shiki chuckled at the look on Naruto's face. "By the look on your face, you didn't get that last part. That's why I said Saya's and Tsunade's book is far too advanced to be taught to Academy students. Let's move on, shall we?"

Naruto grinned and nodded. "Please."

The rest of the lecture flowed a bit more smoothly, as Naruto already knew some of the things Shiki mentioned. They were many of the things the common folk know about shinobi and their skills. Shiki told Naruto that shinobi channeled chakra to perform feats impossible to the common human, which led to a description to the most popular things ninja did with chakra. He began with body reinforcement: how chakra can be used to increase your strength, speed and balance, among other things. This led to mentioning Taijutsu styles that rely on chakra, with the immediate examples being _**Jyuuken**_.

Before moving on to Genjutsu, Shiki told Naruto about jutsu ranks: the scale that establishes which jutsu are more advanced than others, starting from E-Rank or "Academy Rank" as some call them, to the supreme S-Rank, which comprises almost-impossible-to-use jutsu and jutsu so powerful they're often as harmful to the user as they are to the target(s). He also briefly mentioned _**Hiden**_ jutsu, which include the secret techniques of individual clans and jutsu which depend on a Bloodline Limit to work. When Naruto asked about Bloodline Limits, Shiki chose to take a rain check on that question, promising to answer it the next day. Shiki also gave Naruto a few words on _**Kinjutsu**_, forbidden jutsu; jutsu that are either extremely harmful to both victim and user or jutsu that dabble on dark, malign forces. For these reasons, Kinjutsu tend to be S-Rank techniques, too.

Then followed Genjutsu: the manipulation of the nervous system's chakra to alter the way the brain and the body processes the information from the human senses.

"Basically, the Genjutsu user fools your senses, making you see, hear, smell and feel things that aren't there. This form of illusion is called **phantasm**, and most Genjutsu are in this form. Which leads to an interesting detail concerning you, Naruto."

"Genjutsu manipulates your body's chakra to tamper with the information sent to the brain by the senses. This means that even a blind person can be affected by a visual illusion, because his eyes are still sending information to the brain, even if this information is 'all black'. Of course, using visual illusions on a blind person is beyond stupid. After all, if you make a blind person 'see' things, it will be obvious to him that it's not real."

"However, there is an exception to this. You are not only blind, Naruto. **You don't have eyes**; and Saya sealed your optic nerves when she removed what was left of your eyeballs. This means your brain is not receiving any information from your eyes, because they aren't there. Hence, there are no electrical signals for the Genjutsu to tamper with. See where I'm going?"

"………Genjutsu can't affect me!!!"

"**Visual **Genjutsu can't affect you, Naruto. Your ears, nose, tongue and skin all work just fine."

"Awesome!!!"

Shiki smiled softly. "……quite. Also, you must remember that this is only a form of Genjutsu. There are techniques that deal with more……obscure aspects of the human mind. Some Genjutsu deal with memories, thoughts, fears and desires. In conclusion, Genjutsu are very complicated and very dangerous techniques. While most of them can't kill you, many of them can make you wish they could. You must be very careful."

Naruto would have been a bit more intimidated if he wasn't so amazed by all the cool things Shiki was teaching him. The next part of the lecture was, of course, Ninjutsu. Shiki first dabbled on elemental Ninjutsu. He explained the five elements and the relationships between them.

"There's no simple rule to figure out which jutsu is stronger. The closest thing to a rule would be 'the jutsu that uses the most chakra has the higher chance of winning'. Notice that I said 'has a higher chance of winning', instead of 'will win'. This is because the result of the confrontation of two jutsu also depends on the two elements involved. If two shinobi use the exact same jutsu, or different jutsu of the same element, it's simply a matter of who put more chakra on the techniques……unless one of the jutsu has some sort of special effect that gives it an advantage, but that would be a very specific case. Now, when you have two jutsu of different elements, things get a bit more complicated."

"The interactions between the five elements aren't as simple as rock-paper-scissors. It's mostly a matter of common sense……or common physics, to be precise. For example, water puts down a flame, so water jutsu have an advantage over fire jutsu. Earth grounds electricity, so earth jutsu are perfect defenses against lightning jutsu. Wind fans the flame, so Katon has an advantage over Fuuton. Things like that. Beyond that point, it's all a matter of circumstances. Earth is a pretty decent defense against pretty much anything, but all elements can break through an earth defense with enough power. Lightning is the best in piercing damage. For slashing and blunt damage, wind is the way to go, though. If you want explosions, you go with fire. Things like that. It's something that you learn with experience……often painful experience, actually."

Shiki finished the lecture by mentioning the more uncommon chakra-based techniques, like puppetry, medical jutsu and sealing jutsu.

"Now, kid, you are going to try to mold chakra. Get up." When Naruto jumped up, the teacher continued. "Don't expect to get it right the first try. Few people do it. There's no real method to mold chakra. You either get it, or you don't. It's mostly a matter of will. Like with jutsu, visualization helps. Try to **imagine **chakra, even if you don't really know how it is. Concentrate, just like you did with the yarrow stalks, but, instead of focusing on your memories, focus on your body. Try to feel every single inch of your body, and try to feel the chakra taking form deep inside and flowing like a river."

Naruto had no eyes to close, but he unconsciously let his eyelids drop. He heard Shiki's voice as he offered advice.

"Don't clench your teeth like that…………your muscles are too tense, try to relax…………there is no rush, Naruto, some people take weeks to figure this out……………patience, boy, frustration only leads to mistakes……………you can sit down when your legs get tired, we have the whole afternoon."

* * *

It actually took Naruto two full weeks to be able to mold chakra. Shiki was stunned the day Naruto showed him he could do it. Naruto released so much chakra it was visible to the naked eye. That not only showed the true extent of Naruto's incredible chakra reserves, it also showed he would have lots of problems with chakra control unless something was done.

After that, Naruto spent a few more days working on chakra channeling: controlling the flow of chakra **within **the body. Naruto was happy to see this was a lot easier than molding it. Of course, once he did it once, molding chakra wasn't any trouble, either. At one point during these three days, Shiki did the standard elemental affinity test. When Naruto showed to be attuned to wind, Shiki didn't know whether to dance in joy or beat the shit out of the brat for his insane luck.

That same day, Shiki shared Naruto's progress with the Hokage. Sarutobi had been quite busy those two weeks, but, then again, the Hokage is always busy. What little free time he had, the old Hokage had spent it with his son Asuma. Father and son had been discussing Asuma's return to active military duty as a Konoha Shinobi, after several years of directly serving the daimyo at the Fire Capital. They hadn't reached a complete agreement and Asuma wanted to stay at the capital a while longer. In any case, when Shiki gave the news to the Hokage, old Sarutobi knew he had delayed his visit for too long.

That weekend, Sarutobi took a day free (leaving his loyal advisors in charge, of course) to visit the Houraisan Family Grounds. He approached quietly and stealthily, his steps light like a feline's, making sure his scent wouldn't reach Naruto's nostrils. Sarutobi wanted to watch Naruto unnoticed for a while. He wanted a glimpse of Naruto's new life. It wasn't very difficult for him to do this. He **is** the Hokage, after all. Saya and Shiki shot knowing looks at the Hokage, as well as to the particularly bulky scroll he carried with him.

While Naruto's afternoon training progressed slowly, Naruto's morning training was……different, to say the least. He quickly realized their visit to the village the first day was the exception rather than the rule. Other than that eventful first morning, Naruto and Saya had gone to the village proper twice more, but Naruto hadn't met any of his few friends in either of the two visits. The first (and so far only) thing Saya had taught him (and was still teaching him) was something she called _**Hakkeshou**_, Eight Trigrams Palm.

Trigrams here, trigrams there……Naruto quickly figured out he'd be hearing that word quite often from now on.

This _**Hakkeshou **_consisted of a series of slow, flowing and very flexible movements and stances which Naruto had to memorize and repeat over and over again until boredom shut his brain down. Every effin' day. Naruto called it "slow-mo Taijutsu" and with good reason. He had complained a lot; he wanted Saya to teach him **real **Taijutsu. A swift and very painful beating shut his mouth up. So, he reluctantly learned the painfully slow and boring _**Hakkeshou**_.

Learning katas and stances was also an excruciating ordeal. Since Saya couldn't just show them to him, she had to literally grab him and move his limbs and body like a living doll into the appropriate position, over and over again until Naruto proved he could do them himself. Same with the movements. But Saya had the patience of a saint (most of the time) and Naruto still secretly hoped that, if he learned the katas quickly, Saya would teach him some cool Taijutsu moves.

How was he supposed to know he was already learning the cool Taijutsu moves?

After Naruto devoted an hour or two to repeat over and over the few katas he had learned so far (sixteen by the end of the second week), it was time for perception training, which was as weird as it was fun……most of the time. It was always very frustrating. Most of the time it was a very unfair version of hide-and-seek, with Naruto in charge of looking for Saya. Of course, Saya gave him hints every once in a while, calling him teasingly or moving so that the wind carried her scent. As Naruto slowly improved, Saya gradually made things a bit more difficult. Being the evil bitch she is, she was fond of making simple traps if only for a few laughs when Naruto released a long string of curses whenever he was caught in one.

Saya also made Naruto help her with her crops and flowers, both inside and outside the greenhouse. Saya insisted it was training. Naruto was sure she only wanted an extra (if very inefficient) pair of hands. She did make him do a few training-related things. After just two weeks, Naruto was positively sure he could recognize dozens of different plants, fruits, vegetables and flowers by touch and scent only (well, taste helped sometimes).

That morning, Naruto was in front of the entrance of the main house, still working on his katas, moving with the excruciating patience Saya had painfully instilled in him. Saya and Shiki watched him quietly under the doorframe, enjoying the cool morning with a light breakfast. Naruto was so focused on getting the motions right that he didn't even notice Saya standing up to get a seat for the venerable visitor. He wouldn't admit it, but, despite how much he complained about the katas, he had grown to like them, just a little. After he was done with them, he felt very relaxed and his mind very light, something he didn't experience very often. In addition, the katas were an excellent warm-up. After an hour of two of repetitive practice, his body felt warm and ready for anything.

Sarutobi and the married couple engaged in conversation. Naruto was far enough and they spoke quietly enough for Sarutobi's presence to remain unnoticed.

"That's _**Hakkeshou**_."

"Yes, it is, Hokage-sama."

"……never in my life I would have imagined watching Naruto of all people…………did you invent that style too, Saya?"

"Not really. It was one of the first styles I learned, when I actually learned styles instead of developing them myself."

"And you taught it to the Hyuuga."

"Yes, about……five or six generations after the appearance of Byakugan. They took _**Hakkeshou **_and developed it into _**Jyuuken**_. Actually, they didn't really name it _**Jyuuken**_. That name was a slang word that just stuck, to the point that the original name was forgotten. The advanced _**Jyuuken **_techniques appeared……sixty or seventy years after I taught them Hakkeshou. Sharingan appeared at about the same time, if I'm not mistaken. Dear?"

"No, you're right." Shiki confirmed his wife's statement.

Sarutobi released a long sigh. Conversing with those two was always an open window to history. It wasn't the first time they had had this conversation. However, no matter how much he insisted, Shiki and Saya just wouldn't tell him the full story behind Konoha's most notorious Bloodline Limits. They had some sort of agreement with the two clans to keep the secret. In exchange for their silence, well………let's just say it's been a very long time since the Houraisan family had to work for a living.

"It feels like yesterday when I watched Hiashi doing those exact same katas." Saya commented with a bittersweet smile. "I guess that, as we speak, his little daughter is practicing just like our Naruto."

She wasn't too far from the truth. The only difference was that Hinata already knew many more katas than Naruto (159, to be precise). The truth is, all Hyuugas are supposed to learn at least 48 of the 448 strike katas of _**Hakkeshou**_ before they can be introduced to _**Jyuuken**_. Hinata had long fulfilled this condition. However, she was smart enough to know that, as the heiress, she was expected to know as many as possible, even if nobody told her so.

"How many katas do you plant to teach him?" Shiki inquired.

"One hundred and twelve."

Sarutobi only blinked. That was a lot of katas. Shiki had another question.

"The same 112 you taught me?"

"Of course not. Naruto's trigrams are _**kan **_and _**xun**_, so I'm teaching him the 56 _**kan **_katas and the 56 _**xun **_katas."

"Ahh……" Sarutobi uttered. "……speaking of trigrams, those clothes………he doesn't look bad in them, but……"

"What's with the clothes?" Saya retorted. "He lives in the Houraisan house, he trains under Houraisan supervision, so he dresses like a Houraisan."

Indeed, Naruto had gone through an overhaul, courtesy of Houraisan Saya. Just like the couple, Naruto was wearing a cheongsam. Under the main piece of clothing he wore a plain white t-shirt and black silk pants with orange lines on both sides, as well as a pair of orange wristbands. Naruto's cheongsam was identical to Shiki's but only in its basic shape. Unlike Shiki's dark blue, Naruto's is mostly white. It has, though, the same knot buttons arrayed at the right side, the same two tall side slits that will eventually allow access to leg holsters and the same long, flapping sleeves. It didn't have any lining, either. That's where the similarities ended.

Naruto's cheongsam had orange piping along the collar, the cuffs and the lap rims. However, the most notorious feature of Naruto's new look was the dark blue (with orange borders) neck-wide vertical band that covered the full length of the cheongsam, from the collar to the lowermost edge near his ankles. While the blue band isn't impressive by itself, the additions sewn on it clearly marked Naruto as a disciple of Houraisan.

Right on the middle of his chest, an arrangement of three horizontal lines, two solid and one broken in half: the _**xun**_ trigram. Two inches below; the ever-popular _**taijitu**_: the yin-yang symbol. However, unlike the Houraisan Clan emblem, Naruto's _**taijitu**_ lacked the eight small trigram symbols surrounding the dichromatic circle. Finally, under the circle, Naruto's second trigram: _**kan**_, composed of a broken line, a solid line and a broken line. On Naruto's back, an identical dark blue band went down the cheongsam's length. However, Naruto's back only showed the also-popular dark orange spiral emblem. Naruto had replaced his bandages with a pitch black bandana that covered his empty eye sockets.

"Besides…" Saya continued. "……anyone can look good in those clothes."

"I'll give you that." Sarutobi added with an approving smile. "It gives him an unusually elegant look. But……does he like them?"

"Saru, you could give him a **full-orange jumpsuit** and he would **love **it. You know why, don't you?"

Of course he knew. "Because it's a gift."

"Exactly." Shiki intervened. "Of course, we made sure he felt comfortable in those clothes."

Sarutobi chuckled. "He looks like a Hyuuga……only more……colorful."

"Which means he looks better than any Hyuuga. Damned bunch of boring stuck-up jerks with no fashion sense."

"What my dearest wife said."

The trio watched Naruto perform his katas in silence for a minute.

"But, anyway, why are you teaching him _**Hakkeshou**_, anyway? It's not like he can learn _**Jyuuken**_."

Saya rolled her eyes. She wasn't about to explain the old man that **any person **could, in theory, learn _**Jyuuken**_. Byakugan only made its use ridiculously easier. Besides, she hadn't studied _**Jyuuken **_herself. She thought it was a waste of time and effort. So, she had no intention to teach the Hyuuga style to Naruto.

"_**Hakkeshou**_ is a very complete style by itself. However, for a basic style comparable to the simple Taijutsu taught at the Academy, it is exceedingly complicated. Fortunately, there are other styles derived from _**Hakkeshou**_ besides _**Jyuuken**_. If Naruto shows enough skill, I might teach him one of those to complete his Taijutsu training. Naruto isn't really a Taijutsu specialist, so I don't really plan to teach him much. Only as much as he wants and can learn."

"Right now the plan is conditioning his body. Remember that, right now, his muscles and internal organs are overdeveloped while his bones are too weak. That's why I can't work him out the conventional way. Naruto told me he has been working out for the past two years, but, without an appropriate diet to complement his little training, it was doing him more harm than good. The slow movements of _**Hakkeshou **_work like a charm, training his body without the risks of standard physical training. That's why I decided to study the style in the first place: it's a beautiful, graceful art that does wonders to your body and mind. I think Naruto will be greatly benefited by it."

* * *

Once Naruto finished his ninety-minute-long warm-up, Sarutobi revealed himself to him and quickly exposed the true purpose of his visit. He was going to give Naruto a very valuable gift. A jutsu……or maybe two.

The Hokage had carefully picked the jutsu most appropriate for someone like Naruto. When he finished describing what the jutsu was intended to do, Naruto was almost drooling.

"…that………that's so cool………" Naruto was thinking of the many hilarious ways he could use this jutsu in his pranks……and he wondered if he'd ever be able to pull prank again.

Shiki, too, was smirking, a gesture unusual for him. "You don't know half of it."

The two elders spent a good part of the day teaching Naruto the advanced technique, _**Kage Bunshin no Jutsu**_, while Saya calmly watched Naruto's failed attempts. She knew the jutsu, too, but she saw no need to join the lesson. Shiki read aloud the notes on the forbidden scroll of Konoha techniques several times before Naruto got the hang of the technique. He only managed to use the jutsu properly two or so hours after lunch.

"Alright! This is AWESOME!!!" Naruto and his two shadow clones exclaimed simultaneously. Their smiles faded a bit, though.

"It would be better if we weren't blind, though." The clones added.

Shiki and Sarutobi were rightfully impressed. They had read the scroll for him and showed him the unique hand seal used for _**Kage Bunshin**_. Throughout the day, Naruto only listened carefully to their reading, practiced over and over with little success and slumped down to think about who knows what before asking his two teachers to read the scroll again. He didn't ask questions. He basically absorbed the words in the scroll and somehow turned them into a jutsu. They both knew Naruto couldn't possibly understand terms like "Resonant Corporeal Lattice" and "Feedback Offset." Naruto had figured out how to make shadow clones without complete understanding of the instructions in the scroll. He had simply ignored the crazy terminology.

Sarutobi decided not to look at a gift horse in the mouth. Shiki figured things were a bit easier when you have chakra to spare, like Naruto.

"Naruto, shadow clones are identical copies of you as you are the moment you activate the jutsu, which means they inherit any weakening or crippling wounds you might have, too. Of course, they also inherit your lack of eyes. They also possess copies of everything you carry with you, including ninja tools, weapons, clothes, and, of course, magatama. Shadow clones are completely corporeal and capable of performing any task. They're a lot more fragile than you, though, and a strong enough blow will dispel them. Their possessions are just as fragile."

Shiki continued Sarutobi's explanation.

"When you make a shadow clone, you expend a certain amount of chakra to create the body and then give this fake body a fraction of your remaining chakra. With time, the clone uses this chakra to maintain his body, until he runs out of chakra and disappears. Now, Naruto, remember the two components of chakra?"

Naruto and his clones nodded. "Body energy and spiritual energy."

"Right. During the time these shadow clones……exist, they gain knowledge and memories; they see things and record facts in their artificial minds. In other words, they gain experience. This experience, as you know, is the spiritual energy chakra is partially made of. What I mean is that the clones' spiritual energy actually improves."

"Of course, since shadow clones are so short-lived, this…improvement is practically unnoticeable. The thing is; this extra energy is never expended by the clone, not even when he runs out of the chakra you gave it. When the clone disappears, this spiritual energy is set loose. In lack of better words, it doesn't have anywhere to go. It cannot simply dissipate because it's not natural energy. We could even say the world rejects this extra energy. So, this extra energy born of your clones' experiences 'instinctively' looks for a place to go; the place where it rightfully belongs. Your head."

Naruto frowned. "I get what you are saying……but I don't really get what you mean."

"I guess you could use an example."

Before Naruto could do or say anything about it, Shiki took one of the shadow clones and disappeared with him within the dense forest. The poor clone's head swirled as Shiki randomly zigzagged all over the place while moving further and further away from the Houraisan residence, far beyond Naruto's hearing and scenting range.

"What the hell!? Sensei!!!" The clone exclaimed loudly the moment Shiki let go of him, gently dropping his feet back on solid ground.

"Quiet, kid! Be quiet and listen well. Saya has seven books hidden under the mattress of our bed."

"Eh?"

"Listen and repeat after me, boy: Saya has seven books hidden under the mattress of our bed."

"Uhh……"

"Repeat!" Shiki demanded while he walked around Naruto.

Naruto gulped and repeated the pointless sentence. The next (and last) thing he felt was a chop on the back of his neck.

A _**Shunshin**_ and several seconds later, Shiki was back with Sarutobi, Naruto and the remaining clone.

"So, boy, how many books has Saya hidden under the mattress?"

"What the……?" Naruto suddenly blinked under the bandana. "…seven! Seven books!"

"Right." Shiki acknowledged with a smile right before ducking as a kunai passed through the space where his head had been an instant before. The Hokage and the Houraisan both looked towards the house, where a glowering Saya was shooting daggers, metaphorically and literally, at her husband. Shiki ignored her (for now) and turned back to Naruto.

"You know all that crap I said before? I basically meant you gain all the memories and experience from your clones when they disappear. It's called Resonance Feedback."

Naruto and his clone slowly let their jaw drop in realization. "………cool……wait. Why didn't you just say that, then!?"

"Because Shiki likes long and overly complicated explanations, Naruto." Sarutobi commented, much to Shiki's annoyance. "I thought you'd have figured that out by now."

* * *

After Naruto learned _**Kage Bunshin**_, his training evolved to a whole new level. Shiki was pleasantly surprised when Naruto suggested the very thing Shiki had intended to do: abusing the clones' resonance feedback as much as possible. Once Shiki explained the dangers of feedback overload (dispelling too many clones simultaneously, overloading the brain with too much information), they pretty much went crazy. While they used _**Kage Bunshin **_to teach Naruto many different things during the following three years, for now let us focus on the training involved in Naruto's first original jutsu.

After the two weeks it took Naruto to learn how to mold chakra and the few days he dedicated to channeling, plus the day he spent learning _**Kage Bunshin no Jutsu **_and its forbidden variation, Naruto was ready to learn how to make jutsu.

The first stage was, of course, teaching Naruto the twelve hand seals. That only took an afternoon: Naruto and Shiki made eleven clones each. Shiki and his clones then took the Narutos' hands and shaped the seals with them, and Naruto used his tactile and kinesthetic senses to memorize the way the fingers were positioned. Naruto and his clones practiced making the hand seals over and over and over until they came out flawlessly. The final exam was Shiki saying a sequence of random animal names and Naruto making the appropriate hand seals until Naruto showed he had a decent speed and perfect accuracy.

While a few Shiki clones taught a few Naruto clones the different aspects involved in the design and development of jutsu (most important of them being how to figure out the right hand seals), Shiki began to work on Naruto's shape manipulation. After all, the poor kid didn't stand a chance at learning proper nature manipulation if he didn't get the basics of shaping.

Shape manipulation training basically consisted in taking chakra channeling outside of the body. Instead of making Naruto channel his chakra to his limbs or his head, Shiki made him and his clones expel chakra in many different specific ways. Nothing too complex, though: Shiki wasn't teaching him _**Rasengan **_or some other crazy jutsu like that. This was the first real challenge for Naruto. While channeling is fairly easy because chakra easily responds to a person's will while still inside the circulatory system, once it leaves the body it becomes a matter of pure chakra control. Learning decent chakra control is difficult enough. In Naruto's case, it was a titanic endeavor.

At night, while an exhausted and frustrated Naruto slept, Shiki shared his conclusions on the issue of Naruto's chakra control with his wife while they worked on the design for the Body Circuit.

"We know his chakra is permanently working, feeding the Kyuubi's seal so that it works properly. So, basically, when Naruto tries to use chakra, it's forcing it to do two things at the same time."

"Like using a second jutsu while controlling the one you released a moment before."

"Right."

"Tough stuff." Saya whistled. "No wonder the kid's control is so screwed up. I'm pretty sure Yondaime didn't think about that."

"Yondaime didn't have time to ponder things like this, Saya. That's why it's our job."

"So, what do we do?"

"While the seal 'smoothens' the Kyuubi's chakra, both the fox and the seal do pretty much the opposite to Naruto's own. Chakra channeling is quite easy for most people. Naruto found it ridiculously simple because his chakra is being **constantly channeled**. He is just 'channeling it a little more'……which, in a way, also explains why he always releases way more chakra than he should. To counter this we must create a seal that does to Naruto's chakra what Yondaime's seal does to the Kyuubi's, a seal that returns Naruto's……disturbed chakra to its original, natural state."

"I take it that will be our plan for the Body Circuit?"

"Yes. Actually, I'm also thinking of adding another sealing stage to the Fourth's array. Since we were kind of rushed at that time, I mean. Maybe now that we have time I can work on reinforcing _**Hakke no Fuuin Shiki**_."

The couple spent the following month working on the design, while Naruto grew more and more frustrated with shape manipulation. He was able to make the chakra move in an initial direction, but other than that it was impossible for him to make even the simplest pattern (a circle), because he was unable to control his chakra once it left his body. His body always expelled far more than he was able to control. Shiki admired the boy's perseverance. After all, the kind of training Naruto was doing was far more difficult than what he **should **be doing (like, you know, tree walking).

_If he succeeds at this, his control will soar. He'll never get to Tsunade's or Himeko's or Saya's level, but he'd at the very least become a true master of wind. A young wind god._

A month and a half passed in this way, and the days became colder and colder. Autumn was giving way to winter.

* * *

By the second week of the Priest-running month (_**Shiwasu**_; what we know as December), the Houraisan got the Hokage's approval. It was time for implanting the Body Circuit. Saya had appropriately named it _**Mokusui Kanshou Rokakairo**_ (Wood-Water Buffered Filtering Circuit), a fitting name that described the construction and purpose of the circuit. Just like Shiki and Saya originally devised, the purpose of the circuit was two-fold: 'smoothening' Naruto's chakra to diminish Kyuubi's and the seal's effect on Naruto's chakra control, and reinforce the seal configuration the Fourth Hokage had used to seal the Nine-Tails, further diminishing the possibility of excessive leaks of demonic chakra that could negatively affect Naruto's body and weaken the seal. Much to the couple's surprise, the seal array ended up with two additional (and quite unexpected) benefits.

Since the Body Circuit helped Naruto control the amount of chakra he used, some of the excess chakra Naruto always channeled would end up stored within the magatama instead of returning to the chakra circulatory system. Magatama, despite their small size, proved capable of storing substantial amounts of chakra. Unfortunately (or fortunately, depending on how you see it), very few people know how to use magatama in this way (like Tsunade, who has actually implanted a magatama inside her body). Naruto would have two rechargeable "chakra batteries" at his disposal, which he would eventually learn to use to replenish his own reserves (if just a little; magatama aren't **that **good) when necessary, instead of recurring to the fox.

The second application was just as interesting. Saya figured it out after paying attention to the predictions on the effect of the circuit on Naruto's chakra. The continuous variation of Naruto's chakra caused by the interaction between the Body Circuit and the Fourth's seal would make Naruto slightly resilient to Genjutsu. If the Genjutsu directly affecting him was too weak, or if the Genjutsu covered too wide an area, it would immediately be dispelled by the circuit. Of course, Genjutsu powerhouses or any Shinobi who decided to put a little more chakra in their illusions would get Naruto with no trouble.

Of course, all these marvelous benefits didn't come without a price. In Naruto's case, the price would be an "offset time," as it would eventually be called. Since Naruto's chakra forcefully passed through the circuit before Naruto could use it in any way, Naruto couldn't use it freely. Every single time he used chakra for anything, he had to wait a certain offset time before he could use it again. This offset time could be anything between a few tens of a second to several seconds, depending of the complexity of whatever Naruto did with his chakra. The only exception would be when Naruto did the exact same thing (jutsu, water walking, air control or whatever) repeatedly. This would add a strategic element to each and every single of Naruto's battles that would force him to do something few ninja seemed to do lately: think.

Needless to say, Shiki and Saya had already explained all this to Naruto, who readily agreed to be subjected to the surgery.

"Hey, if it makes me cooler, bring it on!"

This brings us back to Saya's underground operating room. Naruto is resting face up on the center of the popular all-purpose seal array that fills the floor, walls and ceiling. While Shiki unrolled half a dozen scrolls filled with, of course, even more seals, and Saya prepared a concoction that would (hopefully) temporarily reduce the effectiveness of Naruto's ridiculous healing rate (they didn't want their incisions to close the moment they made them, after all) as well as rendering him unconscious for a few hours, Naruto fiddled with one of the mediums that would soon fill his eye sockets. He couldn't see it, but he could feel it, and his teachers had described it to him with the utmost detail.

Each medium was mostly made of a special mixture of chakra-infused clay made by a very talented Iwa Shinobi, Deidara. While this quite-eccentric ninja was fond of making explosives, the clay used for Naruto's mediums wouldn't go boom any time soon. Two magatama were embedded in the clay before it solidified: a Jade green wood magatama and an Azure blue water magatama. The two _**tomoe**_-shaped stones, when combined, created a perfect _**taijitu**_ (ying-yang symbol) the size of the normally-colored portion of a human eye (mostly the combination of iris and pupil). After the white clay was shaped into an eyeball-sized sphere, the medium was finished.

"Alright, let's get started." Saya declared. Her tone was unusually serious. "Naruto, give that to me."

Naruto extended his hand. Saya grabbed the sphere and dunked it in a special solution meant to clean it completely. From that point onwards, they would manipulate the mediums with chakra. They couldn't touch them with their hands. They couldn't even allow them to make contact with the air.

Saya made Naruto drink the infusion she had prepared. The blond was sleeping a minute later, his chest moving up and down at a steady rate. He was wearing nothing but your average hospital robe. While the procedure only involved Naruto's face, Saya decided to play it safe.

"We can only hope the fox won't decide to get in the way." She declared sternly. Shiki was finishing with the last of four rectangular strips of paper similar to the prayer charms Shinto monks and shrine maidens always carry with them. Saya applied a mild electrical impulse to Naruto's forehead, ensuring that his eyelids wouldn't close during the surgery. She received the four strips of paper with seals inscribed in them and put them on Naruto's chest.

The couple took the six scrolls Shiki had unrolled and placed them around Naruto so that the end of each would touch the beginning of the next, creating a perfect circle. Saya waited for her husband to announce he was ready. While she would have to do some very delicate work, Shiki was in charge of the seals, which meant he would be spending a lot of chakra.

_I guess I won't be getting any tonight. _Saya decided she could afford a little personal joke.

"What's so funny?"

"Nothing, dear. Ready?"

Shiki looked at Naruto's unconscious form and took a deep breath. "As ready as I will ever be. _**Kage Bunshin no Jutsu**_."

Shiki and his clone sat on opposite sides, just outside the circle made of opened scrolls. Saya took the cylindrical glass case with the liquid that kept the mediums clean and gently placed it right outside of the circle. Then, she sat on her knees in front of Naruto, looking down at the boy's sleeping face with a neutral gaze. _Let's do this._

"_**Shousen no Jutsu**_."

Showing great expertise with the chakra scalpels, Saya made two deep incisions from the edges of Naruto's eyes until halfway to his ears. The incredibly sharp chakra tools cut through both skin and bone, extending Naruto's empty eye sockets to facilitate the eventual entry of the implants. A diagnosis technique showed Saya that the solution Naruto had drunk was working, preventing her incisions from closing too quickly. The fox wasn't using his own chakra to undo Saya's work, either.

_I guess I should thank you, Kyuubi no Youko._

Saya then took the four paper strips from Naruto's chest and placed two over each opened eye socket in a cross formation. After doing this, she moved to her position outside the circle, sitting down and forming a flat isosceles triangle with Shiki and his shadow clone. The true difficulty of Saya's role in the surgery was precisely this: from that point onwards, any medical jutsu she needed to perform she had to do it from a distance. This was something only Tsunade and she (as far as she knew) could do. _Damn, I could have used Himeko-chan right now._

"I'm ready, dear."

It was Shiki's turn. After Saya covered the mediums with a protective coat of her chakra, Shiki used wind manipulation to make the implants float from the glass case to Naruto's head until they rested on the paper strips.

"_**Houraisan Hijutsu: Seisei no Shoumen**_." (Houraisan Secret Technique: Symmetrical Facet.)

The seals inscribed on the rectangular strips crawled towards the mediums until the clay surface was almost completely covered with black inscriptions. When the four strips had become blank pieces of paper, the two mediums slowly descended, tearing the fragile strips as they claimed their place inside Naruto's eye sockets. When this happened, the chakra that had attached the strips to Naruto's skin dissipated and the now useless strips fell off the unconscious boy's face. Shiki blew them away with a random gust of wind-nature chakra. Nothing other than Naruto could stay inside the circle.

"Saya."

"Ready when you are, love."

Shiki performed the ridiculously long sequence of thirty-six hand seals.

"_**Houraisan Hifuuinjutsu: Hourai no Jyukai**_." (Houraisan Secret Sealing Technique: Tree Ocean of Hourai.)

The seals on the six scrolls shed a bright bluish light before crawling towards Naruto's face like the seals on the papers strips just before, invading Naruto's eye sockets like aberrant worms made of glimmering chakra.

It is relatively common knowledge that, despite looking completely solid, most "solids" are mostly empty space. Magatama, like all crystals, are composed of a motif (a set of atoms arranged in a particular way) and a lattice (an array of points repeating periodically in three dimensions. The purpose of **Tree Ocean of Hourai** and its seals is literally carving the insides of the magatama at a macromolecular level, shaping the regular lattice within into the desired layout of the Body Circuit. The magatama were partially hollowed out, save for minuscule conducts in which chakra would flow. At the same time, the seals from the scrolls would penetrate the outer shell of the mystical stones, imprinting themselves inside the magatama and on the artificial chakra pathways.

While Shiki performed this incredibly complex work of mystical engineering, Saya reached to the tenketsu near Naruto's eyes, crafting connections between the artificial pathways and Naruto's chakra circulatory system. Naruto's unnatural healing would do the rest, ensuring the Body Circuit was properly connected and regenerating muscular tissue that would allow Naruto to move the mediums as if they were real eyes, even if they didn't allow him to see. It would only make them look a bit more natural (as if that were possible).

The whole process took almost forty-five minutes and two soldier pills. But it was definitely worth it. Naruto would wake up a whole new human being.

As if he weren't unique enough.

* * *

Shiki spent the next day in bed, resting after the serious expenditure of chakra needed for _**Hourai no Jyukai**_. Since Naruto also needed some rest, he only had some light training with Saya that afternoon. They decided to keep the mediums covered with bandages for a week or two while they made sure there wouldn't be any unexpected reaction, and to keep dirt away from the magatama during this "trial" period.

The following day, after the kata practice at sunrise, they skipped Naruto's physical and perception training for the day to test the Body Circuit. The first results were very promising. The circuit's effects on Naruto's chakra control were immediate, and the improvement was obvious. A week later, Shiki decided Naruto's control was decent enough to get the hang of Academy and D-rank jutsu. He wouldn't have any trouble doing _**Bunshin**_, _**Henge**_ or _**Kawarimi**_ when they were taught to him. However, Shiki and Naruto weren't interested in Academy jutsu. Naruto had to develop an A-rank wind perception jutsu.

It was time for nature manipulation.

The intention wasn't using wind for offensive purposes (Naruto could always learn that **after **he learned what he truly needed to learn), so they didn't use the tried and true cutting-leaves exercise. Shiki asked Naruto to move light objects from a distance by controlling the air around him. Since they were in a forest, leaves were the obvious choice.

For the next seven days, Naruto would spend his afternoons creating dozens of clones and making them mold wind-nature chakra and using it to create a flow of air around him so that he could move the leaves in different directions. He had each clone attempt to move a leaf in a different way, because having all the clones do the exact same thing wouldn't give him any extra experience.

* * *

The morning of the twenty-second day of _**Shiwasu**_, the Houraisan family (plus Naruto) received a very unusual and unexpected visit.

As usual, Naruto practiced his _**Hakkeshou **_katas right outside of the house, between the entrance and the flower field. The Houraisan couple had taken to having breakfast outside (both Shiki and Saya being particularly fond of cold weather, unlike Naruto) and watching Naruto as he did his routine, offering a few words of advice and correcting his stances whenever he made a mistake. They were in the middle of this when the barrier kicked in, warning the couple of someone's approach.

"Two presences?" Saya muttered between sips of her cup of hot chocolate.

Shiki nodded. Two short figures appeared from within the sea of trees, one noticeably shorter than the other. The smallest one was also looking around frantically, obviously showing that he was in new, uncharted territory. Since they made no effort to conceal their presence, Naruto noticed the appearance of the two figures, too.

"Who's there!?" His nose wasn't good enough to recognize people by their scent.

"Good morning, Naruto-kun."

"Ah! Itachi!!!"

"I'm here, too, idiot."

Naruto's dazzling smile instantly became a frown. "How am I supposed to know that, teme!? I'm blind!!!"

Sasuke scowled, showing his distaste of the way Naruto addressed him. Shiki's gaze narrowed when the youngest Uchiha lowered his right hand until it rested on a leg holster. "Want me to show you my new kunai, dobe?"

Shiki's _**Shunshin **_startled both children, especially Naruto, whose senses were confused by the nigh-instantaneous movement.

"Naruto lacks the skill to dodge thrown weapons right now, so I'll have to ask you to keep those kunai where they are."

Sasuke returned Shiki's cold gaze with a challenging expression until Itachi intervened.

"Sasuke, what did mother say?"

His words struck a chord in the youngest Uchiha, whose expression softened as he looked down at the flowers. "……manners."

Saya suddenly appeared next to her husband. Itachi was impressed: she hadn't used _**Shunshin**_, she was just **that **fast.

"My, Itachi-kun, what a lovely surprise! Should I go all 'Itachi fan' mode or something?"

"I'd be grateful if you didn't." The Uchiha ANBU replied with his usual neutral expression. "Besides, I am not sure your husband would like that."

Shiki frowned and shot an odd look at his wife. "Saya, dear, is Uchiha Itachi making fun of me?"

Saya shrugged. "It's really hard to tell."

Sasuke and Naruto had similar odd looks (more obvious in Sasuke, of course). "What are they talking about?"

Naruto shrugged. "Beats me. They're weird like that at times." His expression quickly changed to an eager grin. "You were saying something about kunai?"

The adults (Itachi belongs to this group despite his age) left the children to do as they wished (as long as it didn't involve playing with weapons). Saya stepped into the house to prepare tea for their guest. Shiki moved an extra chair outside for Itachi.

Sasuke was "showing" the results of his practice, throwing kunai at a nearby tree. Naruto couldn't see what Sasuke was doing, but he could follow the sounds the kunai made as they impacted their target, and he could tell all kunai hit the same trunk and relatively close to each other.

"Cool……but it could be better." Naruto teased.

"Like you can do better."

"I **can't**. I'm **blind**. Which part of blind don't you get?" Naruto exclaimed, followed by a very subtle "Uchiha idiot."

"What was that!?"

"Nothing."

"You said something!"

"No I didn't."

"You sure did! You insulted me again, didn't you!?"

"Why do you always get so angry!? You're like a girl!"

"I'm NOT!!!"

"There you go again!"

"It's your fault for being so annoying!!!"

"I'm not annoying!!!"

"Like hell you aren't!"

"TEME!!!"

"DOBE!!!"

And the chase was on. Shiki and Itachi watched Sasuke chase all over the place (and there was a lot of space for running around) Naruto with neutral gazes.

"I take it something similar happened the last time they met?"

"It was a fist fight last time, Houraisan-sama. Two fist fights, to be precise."

"Hmmm……don't step on the flowers, you two!!!" Shiki yelled. The last thing those two kids needed was an angry Saya after their rears.

Saya emerged a few minutes later carrying a teapot.

"YOU LITTLE DIPSHITS!!! RUIN MY FLOWERS AND MY FEET WILL GO UP YOUR LITTLE ASSES SO BAD YOU WILL CHOKE!!!!"

Sasuke had been two seconds short of catching Naruto when he heard Saya's threat. The power and sheer nastiness of her words was such that everything seemed to stop for a few seconds. Saya became the center of the world as two Uchihas, a Houraisan and an Uzumaki stared at her with half-scared, half-disgusted expressions.

"……what!?"

Sasuke looked at Naruto. "And you live with her?"

Naruto shrugged. "You get used to it. You should be grateful I only call you 'teme'."

"Damn……she's like mom, but with more dirty words."

The three adults sat by the entrance of the house. Saya served three cups of tea and Itachi promptly summoned the day's first box of Pocky: strawberry.

Naruto dragged Sasuke away from the flowers. Better safe than sorry, after all.

"I'll show you something cool! _**Kage Bunshin no Jutsu**_!!!"

Sasuke's body involuntarily shuddered at the sight of ten Narutos, all sporting the same identical silly wide grins on their bandaged faces.

"Awesome, huh!?" Sasuke winced when ten identical voices threatened to shatter his ears.

"You call that cool? It's more like, a nightmare!"

"Jackass."

"Blind dobe." Insulting each other had quickly become a basic reaction. They don't really mean it……most of the time. "So, how do you do that?"

Sasuke was still at that time of his life when his curiosity overcomes his jealousy.

"Ah……sorry, the old man told me not to teach this to anyone else. He said it's dangerous, or something."

"The old man?"

"You know; old man Hokage!"

Sasuke blinked. "Hokage-sama taught you a jutsu? And if it's so dangerous, why did he teach it to you?"

"Because it's not dangerous to me! I'm just awesome like that."

Sasuke growled. "Idiot."

Naruto laughed. Sasuke had never met someone who laughed so loudly. "Nah, I just have a lot of chakra. You need lots of chakra to pull it off."

"And why do you have lots of chakra?"

"Dunno, why are you such an ass?"

"Dobe!!!"

"Teme!!!"

The battle between the lone Uchiha against Naruto and his clones had begun. Almost two and half months after their last encounter, the difference between the two had become quite obvious. Sasuke had his two good obvious advantages: factual knowledge of (at least) the basics of Taijutsu and a pair of eyes. Naruto fought as wildly and randomly as a blind brat with a bunch of just-as-blind shadow clones can. Of course, Sasuke was far from skilled enough to deal against so many attackers, even if they were blind, so Naruto managed to land some good hits. When Naruto ran out of clones, he simply made more. Naruto wasn't angry. He saw this as little more than a game. He would have taken it a bit more seriously if he knew some Taijutsu. Sasuke wasn't angry either. Half a minute or so after the initial outburst, right after Naruto landed the first blow, Sasuke realized this crazy brawl was actually kind of fun. It was, in lack of a better word, therapeutic.

"Nii-san!!!" Sasuke yelled as he landed a left elbow thrust on a Naruto, followed by a palm uppercut. The Houraisan couple had been watching the "fight" for a while already. The amount of noise the kids did made it impossible to concentrate on anything else. The Naruto Sasuke had just hit exploded in a cloud of smoke. Itachi raised an eyebrow. His little brother was wearing an honest-to-God smile.

"Nii-san! This is, like, the best training EVER!!! We have to come again!!!"

Itachi released a light chuckle and turned to the man of the house. "You heard my little brother, Shiki-san."

"Great." Shiki muttered sarcastically. Saya chuckled and rested her right hand on Shiki's left.

"You can't just come here when you feel like beating the shit out of me!!!" Naruto and the four clones that preyed after Sasuke complained.

"Why not?"

"Ugh……you Uchiha are all a bunch of bastards! Except Itachi: he's cool."

"I'm cool." Itachi confirmed. Shiki and Saya shot him odd looks. "O-kaaaayyy………"

Sasuke growled. Naruto had struck a nerve. "I'll be as cool as nii-san!!!"

"Yeah, in a thousand years!!!"

"SHUT UP!!!" Sasuke got lucky and picked the right Naruto to hit on the face. Naruto groaned and rolled on the grass, tasting the blood in his mouth before spitting it.

"Ah, the pretty little Uchiha doesn't like the truth!"

"SHUT UP!!!" Sasuke's expression softened and took a curious facet. "How do you even know I'm pretty? You're blind!"

Naruto blinked. There was an odd silence before he and his clones laughed like crazy. "Ahahaha, you're talking like a girl again! Pretty boy Sasuke-chan!!!"

"SHUT UP!!!" Sasuke was being quite repetitive. "Mom says I'm pretty……" He mumbled.

"Ah, whatever, whatever. All Uchiha are a buncha pretty boys!" Naruto laughed. "Even Itachi, but he's cool."

"I'm cool."

"Yeah, we know already. Shut up and eat your Pocky."

Itachi eyed the two Houraisan for a moment before shrugging and turning his attention back to the heavenly sticks.

Sasuke rushed towards the real Naruto, for the first time keeping his mouth shut. The blond managed to track the sound of Sasuke's footsteps and leapt away when Sasuke got too close. After all, Naruto could perceive Sasuke's approach, but he couldn't tell when Sasuke used a punch or a kick or any other attack.

"Being blind sucks!!! I can't see! I can't fight! The only thing I can do is make these stupid blind clones!!!"

"HEY!!!" The aforementioned blind clones complained.

Saya sighed. _The idiot didn't figure it out._

"YOU SILLY LITTLE PRICK!!!" She yelled, abruptly standing up and startling both Shiki and Itachi. "USE _**HAKKESHOU**_, YOU IDIOT!!!!"

Naruto was taken aback by Saya's statement. Sasuke's fist on his face (again) was the spark his brain needed to work. "OOOOHHHH!!!!"

"Idiot." Saya mumbled. Itachi had an inquisitive look on his face. "Naruto-kun knows _**Hakkeshou**_?"

"A little." Shiki muttered. "It won't help him much, though."

"Why?"

"Saya only taught him the katas. Naruto doesn't know how to use them in combat."

Like Shiki said, Naruto was accustomed to the slow, boring katas. He couldn't switch from slow and boring to fast and fluid in an instant.

Or maybe he could.

The first attempt was rather sad. Naruto sent his clones after Sasuke. Naruto's movements proved easy to read, even without Sharingan, and Naruto's offensive ended with four puffs of smoke.

"Okay, that was pathetic." Shiki commented. Saya simply shrugged.

"You can't expect much from him, really."

"No."

The Houraisan couple looked at Itachi, who seemed to be quite attentive of the battle. "Naruto-kun has figured something out. The variations in his facial muscles tell me so."

"Come. Uchiha jackass." Naruto said, taunting Sasuke with a mischievous grin. Sasuke grinned rather viciously for a seven-year-old.

As expected, Naruto tried to lean to the side as soon as Sasuke got close enough; bending his waist to his right, but the young Uchiha proved to be faster this time and turned his body to the right, correcting his posture to make a nasty left hook that collided with Naruto's face. Sasuke 'hnn'ed' and smirked triumphantly……until Naruto moved.

Faster than anything Naruto had done before, he raised his right arm between Sasuke's body and his, making a swipe to swat Sasuke's offending arm away. Before Sasuke could pull back, Naruto had made a second arc moving his arm over Sasuke's descending left arm, followed by a step forward. Naruto had caught Sasuke's left arm, pinning him between his right arm and the right side of his body. Unable to pull away, Sasuke tried a right punch, but Naruto easily predicted Sasuke's reaction. Sliding the back of his left hand by the underside of Sasuke's right arm, Naruto gently pushed the offending limb away from his face. He didn't stop at that, of course. While Sasuke was still recovering from his failed attack, Naruto swiftly struck his neck with a horizontal chop. Sasuke gasped, only to further bend his body when Naruto followed up with a palm thrust at the diaphragm. The punishment ended with Naruto used another palm thrust, this time to Sasuke's forehead, which sent him stumbling backwards until he fell on his butt.

"Naruto wanted Sasuke to hit him that first time." Shiki concluded as he watched the two stunned boys who didn't seem to understand what had just happened. Saya nodded, unable to hide her smug smile.

"_**Hakkeshou **_is a soft style. It doesn't not meet force with equal or stronger force. It flows with the offending force and uses this force and the opponent's momentum against him. Meet yin with yang. Meet yang with yin. That's how he dealt with the second punch."

"He let the first punch get him so that he could grab Sasuke and keep him still long enough to make his own attack." Itachi added. "I'll say it again: Naruto-kun has the instinct. He was born for battle."

Needless to say, Itachi was giddy. He isn't the kind of person that shows such emotions, though.

After the initial shock, came the complaints. "I thought you didn't know how to fight!!!"

Naruto was as confused as Sasuke. "I DON'T!!!"

"Then WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT, DOBE!?"

"I don't know how I did that!!!"

"You HIT ME!!!"

"I can tell!!! I'm blind, not **stupid**!!! I didn't know I could do THAT!!! Oh my God, I KICK ASS!!!! _**HAKKESHOU **_RULES!!!!!"

Naruto was "looking down" at his hands, as if still trying to figure out what he had just done. He only knew one thing: he wouldn't complain about the katas ever again.

Saya had never told him about muscle memory, after all. He had already repeated the slow; boring katas so many times his body could perform most of them naturally.

As for Sasuke, he was pissed off. He felt, in lack of a better word, betrayed. He only knew one thing: he wanted to remove that stupid grin off that stupid blond's face.

Alarms blared in three battle-hardened minds when Sasuke quickly got on his feet and made hand seals!

"Ram! Boar! Tiger! _**Katon! Hinotama no Jutsu**_!!"

"Wha-" Naruto was unable to say more before Sasuke fired a little ball of fire the size of a pebble out of his mouth. The fireball closed the distance between the two kids like an arrow and smacked Naruto's chest. The initial surprise and the surprisingly strong explosion for such a tiny fireball made Naruto lose his balance and fly a good three yards backwards before falling hard on his back.

An instant later, Sasuke was startled. The whole atmosphere of the previously-peaceful forested grounds became awfully tense, and with good reason. The little Uchiha didn't notice when Saya moved to Naruto's fallen side, kneeling to check the damage with an anguished expression on her lovely pale face. He felt the always-comforting and mildly-intimidating presence of his older brother to his left.

Itachi had his full attention on the four small and apparently-harmless strips of paper floating idly in the air a few yards away in front of him. Other than the very faint trace of Shiki's chakra on them, he couldn't make any conclusions about their nature. Itachi had never seen Shiki fight, so he had no idea about his combat style. He only knew the obvious: Shiki is an unmatched master of Fuuinjutsu, bearer of the title of "Shiki of the Million Seals."

As for Shiki himself, he was still on his seat, calmly sipping the last of his cup of tea. However, the narrowed gaze and the coldness in his eyes told Itachi that he was ready for battle in any moment.

Naruto's coughing caught everyone's attention, but only Saya (who was already looking at him) and Sasuke dared to look at him.

"Naruto……" Saya's tone was of obvious concern. She was patting Naruto's cheongsam to put down a few rogue flames that threatened to ruin it. Saya had infused Naruto's clothes with reinforcing earth-nature chakra when she sewed the Houraisan and the Uzumaki emblems, so the clothes wouldn't be burned by such a weak fire jutsu.

"Saya-neechan……" He coughed a few more times. "……are my clothes okay?"

Those words dispelled the tension like the sharpest blade. Naruto's mildly burned skin around his neck was already regenerating, and Saya's healing technique did the rest. She guessed Naruto's chest was in a similar state.

"You just took a fireball to your chest and you're worrying about clothes?"

"B-But, Saya-neechan, you bought them for me……" Naruto's voice weakened as he said those words. Saya squealed when she noticed the faint blush on the boy's cheeks. A second later, Naruto's face was buried in Saya's chest as she glomped him.

"You're too cute!!!"

Itachi's eyes followed Shiki as he calmly stood up and walked over to Saya and Naruto. The four flying strips of paper followed him until they descended on Shiki's right hand and stayed there. Itachi was left wondering what those strips could do, but he guessed that was a question for another time.

"Naruto." That was Sasuke. He, too, had approached the fallen blond. He didn't like the looks the Houraisan couple was giving him.

"I-I'm sorry! I-I just did the hand seals and-I-I had never been able to do that before today! I swear! I just got mad and……I didn't think! I don't know why it worked!!!"

Saya looked at Itachi, hoping for an explanation. The older Uchiha nodded. "My foolish little brother here speaks the truth. I showed him that jutsu two months ago and I know this is the first time he has actually pulled it off." Sasuke was growling quietly by the end of the sentence.

Shiki's expression softened just a little. Saya, however, relaxed her hardened face and smiled gently at both children. "I guess I would have preferred you hadn't figured out that jutsu at the expense of my little Naruto, but I really can't complain. I guess it was the heat of battle or something." Her face went serious for a moment as she looked at Sasuke. "But you really have to control that temper of yours, Uchiha Sasuke-kun!" She said jokingly before flicking his forehead, which promptly elicited a cute pout from the young Uchiha.

"Mom and nii-san do that, too!!! Why does everyone do that with my forehead!?"

"Do what?" The clueless Naruto asked as he slowly stood up.

"Flicking his forehead, Naruto." Saya quickly explained. Naruto blinked……and then grinned.

"Me too!!!"

"HELL NO!!!"

Naruto didn't flick Sasuke's forehead, but the black-haired young kid stiffened a bit when he felt Naruto's hands on his shoulders.

"But, really! That was really cool!!! That was a fireball, right!?"

Sasuke was the most stunned by Naruto's quick recovery. The little blond idiot was actually giddy! "Uh, umm……yeah?"

Naruto grinned even more, which Sasuke had previously thought was physically impossible. "That means you are a Fire-type, ne?"

"Fire-type?"

"All people are attuned to a particular element. All Uchihas are attuned to Fire, which makes it easier for us to learn and use Katon jutsu." Itachi quickly explained. Sasuke nodded. They hadn't taught that at the Academy (yet).

"But I don't find fire jutsu easy at all."

"That's because you are just getting started, brother." Itachi turned to the Houraisan couple. "I take it Naruto is already learning nature manipulation, too?"

Shiki 'hnn'ed' in a way that would make any Uchiha envious. "He's a Wind, like me."

"Eeeehh!?" Naruto exclaimed; jerking his head to "look at" Shiki. "Shiki-sensei is a Wind-type, too!?"

"Yeah, he is." Saya replied for her husband. "It's really weird: with the whole 'Houraisan' thing, you kind of expect him to be an Earth-specialist or something."

"And Saya-neechan is……"

"Actually, I'm the Earth-specialist, like all of the few Harunos who have learned ninjutsu."

"Haruno?" Itachi inquired.

"My maiden name." Saya explained with a strange, longing look. "So long ago………"

"Don't lose yourself in your memories, Saya."

"Yes, dear."

"There is a Haruno in my class." Sasuke said the first thing that came to his mind.

"Really?" Saya looked honestly interested. It had been a while since she heard of a Haruno ninja. "I wonder if we're related. Of course, it would be hard to tell: we're way too many generations apart."

Unlike the clueless kids, Itachi processed the little tidbit of information Saya had just revealed and wondered just how old Naruto's teachers truly were. He had rumors of the "ageless sages of Hourai," and he knew they were at least as old as Konohagakure itself, but, until that moment, Itachi had never imagined Shiki and Saya might be much older than most people believe.

"Uhh……I don't think so. She has pink hair."

Everyone's heads jerked to look at Sasuke in utmost disbelief. Yes, even Itachi. Seriously, who cares about Shiki's and Saya's age: PINK HAIR!?

"WHAT!?" That was Naruto. "PINK!?"

"PINK!?" This is Saya. "Is that even possible!? Oh, sweet shinigami, what have they done to my heritage!?"

"Now you are assuming she is your indirect descendant." Shiki declared, and Saya pouted.

"Knowing my luck, she definitely is."

On the other side of the village, one Haruno Sakura was sneezing her brains out.

Saya, Shiki and Itachi returned to their seats and to their tea and cookies (and Pocky). However, they quietly agreed on spying on the two children. After Itachi's Sharingan copied Shiki's _**Sasayaku Kaze no Jutsu**_, and the two men modified the technique so that Saya could also hear, they focused their attention on Naruto and Sasuke.

"You sure you are okay, Naruto?"

"Ah, don't worry, don't worry! That little wimpy fireball is not gonna hurt me!"

"……you're asking me to do it again."

"Ah…no thanks." Suddenly, something clicked in Naruto's head. "Hey, hey, do it again!"

"……are you crazy?"

"Not on me, teme! Just try again!"

Sasuke shrugged and got on his feet, helping out Naruto to do the same out of a basic sense of concern. Naruto stood to his left while Sasuke gathered his chakra and took a deep breath. He was wondering if he would be able to pull it off again, and he made sure to voice his thoughts.

"……I'm not sure I can do it again……"

"Hey, you did it because you were mad because I hit you, right? Want me to hit you again?"

"What!? Of course not, you idiot!!!"

Naruto grinned, and Sasuke realized what Naruto had just done. "………idiot."

"You're welcome!"

"_**Katon! Hinotama no Jutsu!!!**_"

Sasuke felt the warmth taking shape in his throat and quickly expelled at the same time he shaped it into a ball the size of a dango ball. Sasuke noticed Naruto making the dragon seal, and suddenly the tiny fireball grew three times its original size. However, as if grew, it obviously became unstable.

"DOWN!!!" The Uchiha exclaimed; tackling Naruto down right before the sphere exploded into a spherical conflagration with a radius of at least three meters.

"Ugh, my ears hurt……my butt hurts……stupid Sasuke……"

"What the hell did you do!?"

"NARUTO!!!!" Surprisingly enough, this was Shiki. "YOU PUT TOO MUCH CHAKRA AND NOT ENOUGH CONTROL!!!"

"Yeah, yeah……same old story………"

"Naruto!!! Couldn't you tell me you were going to do……whatever the hell you did!?"

"Shiki-sensei told me wind makes fire jutsu stronger, so…I expelled some wind chakra to see what happened."

"See what happened!? SEE WHAT HAPPENED!? We could have gotten hurt!!!"

"I didn't know you were such a wimp."

"A frickin' fireball almost EXPLODES IN OUR FACES!!!!"

"I bet it was a damn cool explosion." Naruto muttered a bit sad. He would have liked to see it.

"Well, it was kinda cool, yes……" Naruto grinned stupidly and Sasuke felt his blood boil. "…but that's not the point!!!"

Once Sasuke had calmed down, Naruto shared with him his personal dilemma.

"I can only make stupid gusts of wind. I just can't control the flow at all! Ne, Sasuke, how do you do that fireball thingy anyway?"

The black-haired kid shrugged. "Dunno, it's the way they say you make any jutsu. You know the steps, right?"

"Shape chakra, channel chakra, visualize the effect, make hand seals, release jutsu. Control released jutsu, if applicable. Yeah, Shiki-sensei explained the whole thing." Naruto recited as if reading the grocery list. "But I don't get it right!"

"You only use the dragon seal."

"Shiki-sensei says it's the best for channeling wind chakra."

"Why don't you use more hand seals?"

"Because it's not a jutsu!"

"Why not?"

Naruto was about to open his mouth to answer when he made a very interesting discovery.

"……I…don't know." Naruto scratched his head trying to come up with an explanation, but there was simply none. "It's the first exercise sensei has made me do with wind chakra, so I thought it was too basic to be a jutsu."

Sasuke gave him a 'duh!' look. "It doesn't seem that basic to me."

Sasuke had a point. If even something like throwing a little fireball that explodes demands two hand seals, why should manipulating the flow of air be any simpler?

"Maybe that's it!" Naruto exclaimed excitedly. "Maybe I just need to find the correct hand seals!"

"Good for you." Sasuke muttered matter-of-factly. "Just how do you do that?"

"Ah, piece of cake, piece of cake……um…not really."

Shiki had made it clear that he wouldn't teach Naruto many jutsu. He said it was a lot more satisfying to come up with your own techniques, and Naruto had to agree. The idea of coming with original, never-seen-before jutsu was definitely appealing. He wanted to be a cool ninja with lots of unique jutsu that would surprise his opponents.

That's why, instead of stuffing his head with jutsu, Shiki had introduced him to the intricacies of jutsu design. While jutsu design is a very subjective topic (there are many things that can be done with chakra, after all), it obeys a series of principles and theorems that give it a semblance of a structure shinobi can follow to create new techniques. To further reinforce this quasi-structure, a few terms from mathematics have been adapted and given new definitions suitable to this new area.

Naruto's dilemma was centered on determining the proper hand seals to accomplish the desired (and visualized) effect. The wind element automatically implied the dragon seal went last. Shiki had also recommended using an initial hand seal to aid the shaping of chakra. Naruto had figured out a while ago that the ram seal helped him the most in this aspect.

"So, we have ram first and dragon last." Naruto declared. Sasuke, who knew absolutely nothing about jutsu design (a topic the Academy would never cover), was intrigued by Naruto's explanation. Itachi had shown him _**Hinotama no Jutsu**_. Sasuke only had to figure out how to make it work. He had been given the seals and the visualization, Sasuke had only needed the chakra control. He had already wondered more than once how jutsu were invented. How do you figure out a jutsu when you only have an idea? How do you come up with the proper sequence of hand seals, among other things?

Naruto repeated for Sasuke the lesson Shiki had given him two months before on hand seals and jutsu design. Naruto distilled Shiki's complete and complex explanation (half of it Naruto never understood…make that three-quarters) into a simple overview of variables: the elements of the jutsu the shinobi would need to control, and how with these variables the shinobi created a _**Jutsu Shiki**_: the Jutsu Formula. Solving the formula gave as a result the number of hand seals necessary.

Sasuke fully understood Naruto's explanation when they worked on Naruto's new jutsu together. The variables in this particular case were the shaping of chakra (more precisely, the amount of chakra molded), the conversion to wind-nature chakra, the expulsion of wind-nature chakra from Naruto's body to the air surrounding him, the tridimensional movement of the wind-chakra in the air to create wind currents and the speed at which Naruto's chakra had to move for the wind currents to be strong enough, which itself depends on the weight of whatever object Naruto wants to move from a distance by controlling the air around it.

"You actually taught Naruto-kun jutsu design." Itachi muttered. It wasn't a question. Shiki shrugged.

"The basic theory is not that hard, and Naruto is pretty receptive when he actually wants to learn. I only needed an afternoon to teach him the basics, but he still has trouble with the application."

Shiki had an amused look on his face as he explained the basics to Sasuke with overly exaggerated and completely unnecessary gestures that only pissed off the young Uchiha.

"He's just a child, after all. He has a long way to go before he can design complex jutsu."

"Like seals." Saya commented with a knowing grin.

"Yes, like seals. In any case, seal design is quite different from designing elemental jutsu. A **lot** more difficult, in fact. But those two kids are very smart. They'll be able to figure out at least this jutsu."

Itachi had to agree. Those two would become very strong. That was the plan, in fact.

"So you knew why Naruto still hadn't figured out the exercise." Saya stated.

"Well of course." Shiki rolled his eyes. What kind of teacher did his wife take him for? "I only wonder how long it would have taken him to figure it out without Sasuke."

"Four!!!" Both children exclaimed loudly and triumphantly.

"Hey, this is actually pretty easy!"

Naruto shook his head in a sagely manner that looked all but appropriate on him. "That's because it's a simple jutsu. Sensei told me these formula things could get really nasty. Gods, I hate math."

While the mathematics involved in this particular jutsu were only additions and subtractions (and a very simple division near the end), it was plenty enough to challenge two seven-year-olds. Especially when you take into account that jutsu design is more similar to algebra than to ordinary arithmetic. Fortunately, Sasuke was particularly gifted at mathematics. He was no Haruno Sakura, but he was good enough.

"Anyway, we already have two of those four. We still have to figure out the two hand seals that go in the middle."

"How do we do that?"

Naruto crunched up his nose the way he always does when he's really thinking. "Uh……how was it again……"

Sasuke blinked when a scroll impacted the side of Naruto's head.

"Oww!!! What the hell!? Sasuke!?"

"Don't look at me." Sasuke tried to be the voice of reason before they ended up beating the shit out of each other again. Naruto looked more annoyed than angry. "You know I'm-"

"I KNOW YOU'RE BLIND!!! It's a what's-it's-name……figure of speech!!!"

Naruto's frown told Sasuke his words had reached empty ears. "Forget it."

He looked at the adults far to his right. Saya was waving at them with a cute smile on her face.

"Saya-san threw you a scroll." He concluded, at the same time he picked the offending object and unrolled it. "It's a……table of some sort?"

"Ah!" Naruto was excited again. "The table, right! Thank you, sensei!!!!"

Naruto quickly showed Sasuke how to use the table for him, since he couldn't use it himself. The table had five columns: fire, water, lightning, earth and wind. The rows each represented a single variable a jutsu designer could encounter during the creation process behind a jutsu. Each cell contained one or more animal names representing specific hand seals. You used the table by picking the column appropriate to the element of the jutsu being designed and finding the cell corresponding to the unsolved variable to get the possible appropriate hand seals. Of course, the table was quite incomplete. Otherwise, Orochimaru would have never defected and gone all evil and stuff.

"Alright……" Sasuke muttered as his scanned the list of variables. "……for releasing chakra through your arms…wind……it says bird or rabbit……hey, we have two variables left and only one seal."

Naruto grinned and switched to his textbook recital voice. Who'd have thought Naruto of all people would have a textbook recital voice?

"The combination of speed and direction of movement is called velocity. Shiki-sensei repeated that so many times I'll be damned if I forget it!"

"Uh, so I look for velocity……why isn't this thing in order……………stupid thing, where is it!?"

"Geez, calm down, Sasuke……"

It took poor Sasuke seven minutes to find the last variable. "Wha-it's here! But I checked this part, like, three times! Why didn't I see it before!?"

"Ummm……because you're an idiot!"

"Stuff it, no-eyes."

"Teme! Tell me the stupid seal already!"

"Horse. So it's ram, bird, horse and dragon or ram, rabbit, horse and dragon. Now what?"

"Isn't it obvious!?" Naruto exclaimed as he got on his feet. "Now I try both combinations and see which one works?"

Sasuke raised an eyebrow. "Okay, that was a stupid question. Hey, do you mind if I give it a try, too?"

Naruto raised an eyebrow. "Sasuke."

"What?"

"Can you mold wind chakra?"

"…………no."

"There you go. You're a Fire-type. Stick to your element. Now take out one of your kunai and let's see if I can make it move or something."

Holding Sasuke's kunai with his teeth, Naruto felt his chakra gathering and swirling wildly within his body. He gave the Body Circuit more than enough time to do its job, "guiding" his chakra so that it would flow in a more orderly fashion, before he redirected it to his arms. At this point, Naruto's seal-making speed was obviously faster than Sasuke's, and he showed it. However……

Sasuke frowned when Naruto lowered his right arm and grabbed the kunai with his left hand. "What happened?"

"I haven't come up with a name!"

Sasuke and Saya facefaulted. While announcing the jutsu's name wasn't really necessary, it had long been proven that it helped with the visualization phase.

"Whatever." Sasuke muttered, allowing Naruto to do his thinking. Of course, Naruto's is particularly loud.

"I am supposed to be a badass ninja……"

"Really."

"……so it has to be a badass name!"

"Gee, such genius."

"Something like, dunno……'Hands of the Wind Master'! That sounds kinda cool."

"Talk about an exaggerated name for such a lame jutsu."

"NO!"

"Gosh, my ears……"

"Master is not enough! Something better! Like……Wind King!"

"Dream on, dobe."

"No! Wind EMPEROR!!!"

"Do you even know the difference?"

"NO!!! **Wind GOD**!!!"

"Naruto, you're crazy."

"Stop making fun of my thoughts!"

"Oh, you were listening."

"Of course!"

"You know, they aren't really thoughts if they can hear you in Wind Country."

"Shut up! I have come up with a **badass **name for my first original jutsu!"

"What's with you and that word, anyway?"

Naruto growled. "Stop being so damn………Uchiha!"

Itachi shook his head, looking at his little brother with true pride in his eyes. "He can't. It comes with the eyes."

"HA!" Shiki jumped off his seat, grinning like a madman. "I KNEW IT!!!!"

Saya only sweatdropped. "Dear Lord……"

Naruto and Sasuke wisely chose to ignore the adults' conversation. "Okay, dobe, do you thing so we can get this over with."

There was a long silence, which prolonged itself until Sasuke started to feel uncomfortable. He knew Naruto wasn't really staring at him, but still……

"What!?"

Naruto grinned. The way he only does for his friends. "Thanks."

For the first time in his life, someone outside his immediate family made Sasuke feel embarrassed. "……yeah, whatever."

Naruto "looked away" from Sasuke as he bit the kunai one more time to have both hands free to make hand seals. Time to try out the first combination.

"Alright, let's do this! And if it doesn't work, I'll blame Sasuke and kick his ass!!!"

The youngest Uchiha shot daggers at the blond. "Shut up and do the stupid jutsu, you big dobe!!!"

"Alright, alright………how was it again-OW!!! TEME!!!"

"Ram, bird, horse and dragon."

"You're gonna get it, Uchiha bastard."

"_**Fuuton!!! Fuujin Tesabaki no Jutsu**_!!!"

Everyone (especially Sasuke) watched impressed how Naruto opened his mouth, releasing the kunai. The weapon remained perfectly still in the air. Very slowly, Naruto willed it to move away from his face. He could feel his chakra making an ample circle in front of him and, as if it were a solid body, his chakra's "friction" with the air made it move in the way he willed it to. Keeping his hands locked in the dragon seal, Naruto made the kunai fly to the left and to the right, up and down and it every direction he could think of. He couldn't see the kunai do all these things, but he could somehow feel its weight as it resisted the micro-winds his chakra created, and he felt it give in to his chakra's superior strength.

"It's really flying, isn't it!?"

"Yeah……" Sasuke said a bit too softly. A part of him had doubted Naruto and all that jutsu design crap he had spouted. He had to admit he was impressed. His new friend had really invented a new jutsu.

"Ne, ne! Shiki-sensei!!! Saya-neechan!!!" Naruto called for his teachers' attention as he made the kunai make all kinds of crazy loops in the air. He was already figuring out how far he could make the kunai fly before his control over the jutsu began to slip away.

"We can see it, Naruto!" Saya exclaimed, just as excited. Shiki calmly stood up and began to walk his way towards his student. Everyone watched quietly while the older man leaned close to Naruto and whispered something only Naruto could hear. Whatever it was Shiki said, Naruto apparently found it hilarious.

"Ahahahaha!!! You RULE, Shiki-sensei!!! Hey, Sasuke!!!"

Sasuke had a sinking feeling of impending doom. Why does he have to be so damn loud, anyway? "……what?"

"Run."

Sasuke only got the full meaning of that simple word when he noticed the kunai, which had stopped moving and floated still in midair a few yards to his left, pointing threateningly at his face.

"W-Wait, Naruto!!! Wah!!! Hey, that got too close! Hey! Wait, really!!! Aaaaaahhh!!!!"

Saya eyed Itachi while the flying kunai and a laughing Naruto chased Sasuke all over the place. "Aren't you going to stop them?"

"……training." Itachi uttered before taking his twelfth Pocky stick to his mouth. _Hmmm, strawberry………_

* * *

Two days later, Shiki announced it was time for Naruto to learn air-based perception. He had spent the past two days using _**Fuujin Tesabaki **_over and over, trying it with different objects to get a better grasp of how much chakra he needed according to the weight he wanted to manipulate. The continuous use of the jutsu also helped Naruto control it better so that he wouldn't need to devote so much concentration to it in a real combat situation. He had tried to maintain the jutsu without keeping his hands stuck in the dragon seal, with little success. He guessed he'd leave a few clones to work on that. It was time to move on to better things.

Of course, before they even got started, Naruto asked the obvious question.

"How is wind manipulation gonna help me see things?"

Shiki had obviously been expecting it.

"That's a good question, and it has several answers, which I'll explain to you via examples. Make an inverse flow."

"Inverse flow" was the way Shiki told Naruto he had to pull the wind towards him. Naruto had quickly figured out he could use _**Fuujin Tesabaki **_to simply create wind currents around him, without the need of an object to manipulate. He just had to assume in his visualization that he was manipulating a weightless object. By adjusting this "weight," Naruto could create stronger or weaker winds.

"Now, follow me."

Naruto followed Shiki's voice. They could tell they were walking away from the house and towards the tree ocean that made most of the Houraisan grounds. "Notice anything unusual, Naruto?"

"Umm, no, not really."

"Okay, stop. Right now, you must feel the wind hitting you from every direction, right?"

"Um, yeah……that's what I'm doing, making the air come to me."

"Right………how about now?"

It only took the boy an instant to figure out what happened. "I don't feel the wind in front of me!"

"And why would that be, Naruto?"

"Because you're standing right in front of me!"

"Precisely. Two things cannot occupy the same place at the same time. It's a fundamental law of everything that is, which means the air has to circle every obstacle it finds. By properly attuning yourself to the flow of the air around you, you can perceive the presence of other things by detecting the absence of air flow."

Shiki moved backwards, putting some distance between him and Naruto.

"Since you used your tactile sense, I had to stand in front of you for you to figure this out. You cannot rely on the 'feel of the wind on your skin' for this; you must learn how to use your chakra to accomplish the same purpose. Let your chakra act as your skin. This will give you a greater range of perception and it can become more sensitive to changes in the air flow. Now leave a few clones here to work on this while we move on to the next example."

"Umm, sensei……"

"What?"

Naruto told Shiki everything about his new jutsu's ability to give him an innate awareness of the wind he creates. He hadn't just felt the absence of wind caressing his face. He had "seen" the air currents he created circling Shiki's body. By the end of the short explanation, Shiki was impressed.

"That's great, Naruto! You've figured out the first stage of your perception jutsu without even trying!"

"Really!" Naruto had his wide grin on with full force. "I guess I'm just that good, ahahahaha!"

"Yeah, yeah……" Shiki indulged his proud student. "…but you still have to work on its range. You want to be able to detect objects that are far away from you, too. Remember, human sight can reach very far. I doubt your jutsu can reach as far, but you still want a decent range."

"Right!"

After making several clones and ordering them to spread around the forest and work to increase the range of their wind detection, the original Naruto and Shiki walked together to a different secluded forested area of the Houraisan grounds.

"In the first stage of your wind perception training, which your clones are working on right now, you detect variances in wind velocity, which includes both……?"

"Wind speed and wind direction!" Naruto completed.

"Good." Shiki ignored Naruto's "ehehe!" and continued his explanation. "This second stage is detecting vibrations."

Shiki complemented Naruto's previous knowledge of sound imparted by Saya with a short lecture on echo. After that, he made an overview of what Naruto was supposed to do.

"In the first stage, your wind manipulation works as a second skin. I guess that, as part of your visualization, your brain begins to process information from your chakra the same way it processes information from your skin's pressure receptors. In easier terms, your brain **thinks **your wind chakra is your skin……or something like that."

Naruto, who had had his bandages removed, this time for good, blinked a few times for good measure. "Really? Neat! So it's like Genjutsu?"

"In a way, yes, but take into account that your brain is not receiving any false information."

"Ah, right!"

"In this second stage, your chakra becomes your **ears**, ears capable to detecting vibrations in the ear your real ears will never perceive. This shouldn't be any harder that what you already can do, but the trick lies in making your brain……'display' this information to you as an image. I mean, you don't want to **hear **the vibrations; you want to **see **them. Then, you have to combine stages one and two to be able to see the contour of objects both static and moving."

Naruto nodded. He could see things were reaching a whole new level of difficult. Leaving a few clones to do some brainstorming of how to pull this off, Naruto and Shiki left to a third secluded area. Naruto could hear the sound of running water.

"A river?"

"Yes, a river. Saya is fond of coming here to relax and take a dip, away from distractions……" _And perverts. I'm sure many would love to watch her skinny-dipping……myself included, but that's the husband's right._

"The third stage is far more difficult than the previous two, Naruto. The other stages were velocity and vibration. The third stage is **temperature**."

Naruto's frown told Shiki the boy didn't get it. Now, how do you explain thermodynamics to a seven-year-old?

The answer is simple: you don't.

"Naruto, I think even you know every person emits heat. When you're emitting too much heat, you have a fever."

The boy nodded. "I've never had a fever, but I know about that, yeah."

Shiki smiled. The boy probably never got sick in his life. "Right. So, you might know that people check if they have fevers by placing a palm on their foreheads."

"Right! I saw a lady pressing her forehead against her little daughter's once. She was checking for a fever, right?"

"Indeed. You see, Naruto, our skin has very tiny heat receptors, just like pressure receptors and pain receptors. These heat receptors allow us to distinguish cold things from hot things. You with me?"

Naruto nodded again.

"Good. So normally, we need to touch the object in question to know whether it's cold or hot or whatever, just like the example of the mother checking her daughter for a fever. Of course, if an object is hot or cold enough, we can tell even without touching it."

"So, Naruto. Every single object radiates heat, some more than others. There are even parts of the human body that are hotter than others. Since your chakra can be immensely more sensitive than your skin, the idea is to attune your chakra so that you can **see **heat. It is believed that some animals, like snakes, actually see heat in the way I want you to."

"Ewww, so I'll be getting snake eyes?"

"Kami, no!" _One snake fetishist is enough. _"That was a very bad joke, Naruto. Now, come on, get to work. This is something that no one, as far as I know, has ever tried before, which means you are on your own. I can help you with advice and I can try to answer your questions, but I can't tell you how to do it, because I can't do it, either. When, and if, you manage to combine the three stages, you'll a truly original jutsu, and a very difficult one."

Of course, Shiki wasn't mentioning the fourth and final stage, which would be a whole new level of impossible. Or so he thought.

Naruto was a little intimidated by the whole thing (the heat perception thing was just way over his head), but his boundless determination was there to aid him one more time.

"Ha! I'll get this done in no time!"

"I certainly hope so. Good luck, kid."

* * *

**Author's Notes: **Okay, so no time for Shika and Cho in this chapter. I should stop making random previews. And I take it you noticed the whole experience thing with _**Kage Bunshin **_works a bit differently here. Same with the whole elemental-strengths-and-weaknesses thing. That's why this is an AU: I'm taking it canon and beating the crap out of it.

Notice that I didn't describe the look of Naruto's face with the Body Circuit implanted. Sasuke didn't get to see it because Naruto's face was bandaged again. I decided to leave that for the next chapter.

I'll stop kidding myself. Naruto's pre-Genin years will take a while. The more I rush to get to the Academy Graduation, the more ideas I get. Well, it's my story. I like it, and I can only hope you like it too.

Okay, so, next chapter! Naruto and Hinata. Nothing more will be said. History in the making………

* * *

**Narutionary** (Okay, stupid name, I admit it……)

_**Byakugan **_(白眼): The special bloodline of the Hyuuga Clan, characterized by lavender, pupil-less eyes. When _**Byakugan **_is properly activated, vestiges of a pupil appear and the veins around the eyes bulge. _**Byakugan **_grants its owners near all-around perception, a greater range of vision, the ability to see through matter and some limited telescopic vision. The very structure of the Hyuuga Clan is closely derived from _**Byakugan**_, and it has influenced both its family hierarchy and its combat style.

_**Hakkeshou **_(八卦掌): Eight Trigrams Palm. The standard (yet very complex) martial arts style more commonly known as _**Ba Gua Zhang**_ or _**Pa Kua Chang**_. Several advanced (chakra-based) Taijutsu styles are derived from this one.

_**Jyuuken **_(柔拳): Gentle Fist. The Hyuuga Clan's signature Taijutsu style, aimed at damaging at the opponent's inner chakra circulatory system and internal organs. It is used with _**Byakugan **_for maximum efficiency. The style was developed long before the foundation of Konohagakure, and it was derived from the standard _**Hakkeshou **_style.

_**Houraisan no Fukyuu no Ryuu **_(蓬莱山の不朽の竜): Immortal Dragon of Houraisan. Houraisan Saya's signature Taijutsu style, cloaked in rumor and mystery. Little is known about this style, and even less is understood. The only student of this style, the First Hokage, never said a word about Saya's teachings, and the Goddess of Taijutsu herself rarely speaks of it. When she does, she never says anything meaningful. Rumor says that knowledge of this style involves "understanding of both life and death" and "control of the flow of life and souls through creation," whatever that means. The few who have seen this style in action say that, at first glance, it doesn't look like a particularly dangerous or effective style. It doesn't involve titanic strikes that fell opponents with a single blow or mind-blowing storms of blows. Yet, somehow, it wins battles. Another rumor, based on loose interpretation of a few comments Saya made on an occasion she felt particularly kind, implies that neither Saya nor the First have fully mastered the style. This rumor suggests that Saya is looking for a person capable of making this last step impossible for her.

_**Mokusui Ka**__**nshou Rokakairo **_(木水緩衝濾過回路): Wood-Water Buffered Filtering Circuit. The formal name of Naruto's Body Circuit. Its several functions consist of reinforcing the Kyuubi's seal, filtering disturbances in Naruto's chakra to improve his control, store small amounts of chakra to act as a rechargeable battery of sorts, and slightly improving Naruto's defenses against Genjutsu.

_**Hakke no Fuuin Shiki **_(八卦の封印式,): Eight Trigrams Sealing Style. When combined with the other elements of the seal that imprisons the Nine-Tailed Demon Fox within Naruto, it allows the Kyuubi's demonic chakra to interact and mix with Naruto's minimizing its harmful effects……or at least that's what the theory says.

_**Jutsu Shiki **_(術式): Jutsu formula. In jutsu design theory, an algebraic equation or matrix that, when solved, reveals important variables involved in the technique's design. In other words, the mathematical description of a jutsu. The Fourth Hokage gave the same name to the special seal he uses as a referential summoning mark for his _**Hiraishin no Jutsu**_.

* * *

**Jutsu List**

_**Bunshin no Jutsu **_(分身の術, E-rank, Supplementary): Clone Technique. Creates intangible clones of the user.

_**Hakke Happou Fuuin Kekkai **_(八卦八方封印結界, Hiden, C-rank, Supplementary, All ranges): Eight Trigrams Omnidirectional Seal Barrier. Check "Lost Blue Eyes 2" for a description.

_**Henge no Jutsu **_(変化の術, E-rank, Supplemntary): Transformation Technique. Allows the user to assume the appearance of another person, animal or object.

_**Houraisan Hijutsu: Hourai no Jyukai **_(蓬莱山秘術: 蓬莱の樹海, Hiden, S-rank, Supplementary, Short range [0-5 m): Houraisan Secret Technique: Tree-Ocean of Hourai. This extremely difficult technique applies special and very powerful seals to a geomantic medium, literally altering its internal structure at a macro-molecular level into the desired Houraisan Body Circuit. So far only Shiki knows this technique, but it's still labeled as S-rank because it demands considerable amounts of chakra, excellent control, it risks the life of the patient if the user makes a mistake and, of course, because of the intrinsic danger of the possibility of what could be done with this technique in the wrong hands. It is also important to clarify that there are two other jutsu with the same name (_**Hourai no Jyukai**_). One was a Mokuton jutsu that died with the First Hokage (at least, that's what most think……Yamato………) and the other is a Taijutsu _**ougi**_ of Saya's _**Houraisan no Fukyuu no Ryuu**_.

_**Houraisan Hijutsu: Seisei no Sh**__**oumen **_(蓬莱山秘術: 整斉の小面, Hiden, A-rank, Supplementary, Short range [0-5 m): Houraisan Secret Technique: Symmetrical Facet. One of the Houraisan Clan's secret Body Sealing Methods. It allows the transference of seals from special paper strips to previously-prepared geomantic mediums. The purpose of these seals is to prepare the mediums for insertion in the final host's body and also to ensure the mediums will receive the more powerful seals that are involved in the creation of the Body Circuit. This jutsu mostly works as a setup for _**Hourai no Jyukai**_.

_**Kage Bunshin no Jutsu**_ (影分身の術, B-rank, Supplementary): Shadow Clone Technique. Creates clones of the user. Unlike the ordinary _**Bunshin no Jutsu**_, these are actual clones, not illusions.

_**Kawarimi no Jutsu **_(変わり身の術, E-rank, Supplementary): Body Replacement Technique. Lets the user quickly switch places with another object, generally a section of a log……Kami knows why. Naruto and Hinata refer to the act of being fooled by means of _**Kawarimi**_ as "to be logged." Sometimes they even call this technique _**Maruta no Jutsu **_(丸太の術) or "Log Technique." Apparently, the change in name doesn't any effect on its effectiveness.

_**Sasayaku Kaze no Jutsu **_(囁く風の術, C-rank, Supplementary, All ranges): Whispering Wind Technique. Check "Lost Blue Eyes 2" for a description.

_**Shousen no Jutsu**_ (掌仙術, A-rank, Supplementary, Short range [0-5 m): Mystical Palm Technique. The quintessential medical jutsu, which allows the medic-nin to both heal injuries and perform surgery (in this form it's also known as **Chakra Scalpels**).

_**Shunshin no Jutsu **_(瞬身の術, D-rank, Supplementary): Body Flicker Technique. By temporarily increasing the user's agility, the ninja can move short distances at almost untraceable speed, which makes it look as if he had teleported.

_**Katon: Hinotama no Jutsu**_ (火遁: 火の玉の術)

**Name: **Fire Release: Fireball Technique

**Type: **D-rank, Offensive, All ranges

**User: **Sandaime Hokage, Uchiha Clan, most Shinobi with a Fire affinity **(for now?)**

This is the simplest and most fundamental Katon jutsu. The user fires a small ball of flame from either his mouth or his hands which explodes when it comes into contact with an object or once it reaches its maximum range. The amount of chakra used in the jutsu determines both the explosive power and the maximum firing range. While this technique is by far the weakest of all fire jutsu, it's still fairly useful because it can be used to fire shots from very long distances.

_**Fuuton: Fuujin Tesabaki no Jutsu**_ (風遁: 風神手捌きの術)

**Name: **Wind Release: Wind God Manipulation Technique

**Type: **C-rank, Supplementary, Short to mid-range (0-10 m)

**User: **Uzumaki Naruto, Uchiha Itachi (what, you think he didn't copy it?)

This jutsu allows Naruto to control and manipulate objects from a distance by means of wind nature manipulation. Naruto disposes of the need of chakra strings and uses the air itself, manipulating it to indirectly control the object, which to the naked air appears to be flying. In addition, the jutsu grants the user an intrinsic awareness of the wind currents he creates, which allows him to follow the object's movement even if he can't see it. However, the user needs to see (or at least have a good reference of) the object to manipulate for the jutsu to work on the first place.


	7. Fox and Maiden: New Legend of Hourai

_**Phantasmagoria of Dichromatic Eyes**_

**Chapter 4**

**Fox and Maiden ****–**** New Legend of Hourai**

It was the twenty-seventh day of _**Shiwasu**_. It was another normal breakfast scene in the large dining room of the main Hyuuga residence. It would be impossible to tell it was a special day for the two people in the room.

Hyuuga Hinata had become a seven-year-old, and she couldn't care less. As stated before, celebrations amongst the Hyuugas were rather stoic. Hyuugas attended these "celebrations" more because of a sense of duty to the clan than true interest in celebrating the occasion. Parties within the Branch Families were considerably better, but still far from how Hinata knew **real **parties were.

She knew there would be a ceremony to commemorate her seventh birthday. She wasn't really looking forward to it.

Her father ate calmly and quietly as if he were the only person in the room. She still couldn't gather the courage to start a conversation with him. Just a look at his stern face froze her on the spot, fearing that the slightest sound coming out of her mouth would call upon his anger.

She really wished she could speak her mind. Her mind had a lot of things to say. In fact, in the past two and a half months, her mind had become quite……boisterous.

While she was far from being able to speak her thoughts without her shy, nervous self striking her down, her evolution to "New Hinata" was progressing……somehow……she thinks. Last week, she actually obliged her tutor to give her a fifteen-minute break, something she would have never done before.

"_Mayumi-sensei, your kind and dedicated work is greatly appreciated, but it seems you are unaware of your position. You are the teacher and I'm the student, yes, but you seem to have forgotten that __**I **__am __**Hyuuga Hinata**__ of the Main Family. Proceeding with the lesson would only be a waste of both your and my time. I am tired, and my attention and receptivity to your wise words suffers when I'm tired, which will result in deficient learning, which will result in consequences to my standing as the Clan Heiress as well as the Clan's doubts as to your skills as a teacher. I need to rest for a few minutes, therefore, we will rest. Fifteen minutes. After fifteen minutes, we will resume the lesson. Now, if you excuse me……"_

She had scurried away from the room before the stunned teacher got her act together and gave her the scolding of a lifetime. Hyuuga Mayumi was on her list of Hyuugas she actually disliked.

_She's just so……cold…__…and stern……and so haughty………and why is she always scowling!? I do something wrong, she scowls. I do something right, she scowls. It's like she has forgotten she was a child once, too. She's just too……not nice. Then again………_

Mayumi-sensei had changed a bit after that day…just a bit. She still didn't smile, but at least she didn't scold her…much. The point is, little Hinata was able to talk back to her annoying teacher. She had always been in good terms with people from Branch Families (at least those she has talked to). The problem was, of course, her father and the Clan Council. She was far from being able to speak her mind to either, and she knew that wouldn't change anytime soon. Her father because, well, he's her father; and the council because she **hated** the council; and she had come to the conclusion that the council hated her, too.

Why did her family have to be so………complicated!?

Her face had remained impassive all this time, even while her emotions were in turmoil. It was the little Hyuuga heiress mask she had mastered to almost-total perfection. It consisted of polite words, impassive expressions and a lot of avoiding the council's disapproving glances. She couldn't help but wonder how long it would take before her little sister Hanabi was allowed to join them at the table. That would make their meals lively, at least until Hanabi, too, was dutifully brainwashed into being another cold, haughty, sardonically courteous and proud member of the Hyuuga Clan. Needless to say, Hinata didn't want that to happen. She wanted to spare her little sister from the pain of being Hyuuga Hanabi, the second daughter of the Clan Leader. Unfortunately for little Hinata, her young age didn't allow her to see the full perspective of things. She still wasn't fully aware of just how complicated the situation had become, just because of her meek personality and the fact that **she had a little sister**.

She wanted the power to stand up to her father and the rest of the council. It wasn't a matter of being the heiress, or her father's daughter, or a proud member of the Hyuuga clan. She only wanted to show that her life had worth. She wanted everyone to know she deserved to be respected and acknowledged. She wanted the clan elders to stop looking at her with disdain and borderline disgust. She wanted her father to remember he had a little daughter. She wanted him to smile and love her.

She had made significant progress. Nobody got in the way of her gardening anymore. Her teacher was still cold, but at least she was decent and didn't overwork her anymore. Her father was still a harsh _**Jyuuken **_teacher, but that would never change. She had been granted more time to visit the nursery where Hanabi spent most of her time until who-knows-when. She greatly enjoyed watching her little sister's growth, especially watching her slowly learning how to walk. She already walked unassisted, though she stills fell quite often. Hinata loved her sister. She loved watching Hanabi smile and laugh and be absolutely free and innocent. How much she wished that could last forever…….

Yes, Hinata needed more assertiveness; more confidence; more…………whatever that boy Naruto had in ridiculous amounts.

She had bettered herself as much as she could. If she wanted to go any further. She'd need help. She needed guidance.

She needed **him**.

"Father." The single word was dripping with every single drop of determination she could muster. That got Hiashi's attention. He only looked up at his daughter, his face quietly signaling her to continue.

"……I have a request."

* * *

"IT DOESN'T WORK!!!!" Naruto yelled to nobody before slumping down on the grass with a defeated expression. Three shadow clones poofed out of existence.

That morning he had decided to train in solitude, deciding to work on his perception training someplace relatively away from the house. He had found another (smaller) clearing in the forest where to devote himself to mastering the three stages of his most important jutsu. Back in the house, Shiki-sensei was working in……whatever he did in his studio, while two of his clones were taking their first piano lessons from Saya. He still had no idea why he was even trying to learn how to play the massive and exotic instrument. Saya called it an "intellectual challenge," whatever that meant. She had said she would stop by and check on his training in a while, so he knew he should get up and keep working. But he felt so frickin' **frustrated**!

It was ridiculously ironic. The first two stages: flow and pressure waves (the fancy name for sounds), had proven ridiculously easy. It was basically telling the brain to do something it already knew how to do, using chakra instead of electrical signals from the skin or the ears. The problem with wave perception was that there was no information on the variables involved in the table, so he had worked from absolutely nothing, iterating hand seals often used with both Fuuton jutsus and lesser perception jutsus and trying every single combination possible until he got a sequence of four hand seals that worked. Of course, the result of Naruto's day of trial and error was promptly used to update the table for future jutsu designers. It was a lot easier to figure out the two "linking" seals that allowed simultaneous use of flow and wave perception, and Naruto had a ten-seal perception jutsu prototype.

With flow perception, Naruto perceived the locations in the tridimensional space were air didn't flow, which indicated the presence of an object. His brain further analyzed the information given by his wind chakra, allowing Naruto to get a very accurate diagnosis of the object's size and shape. Wave perception was so precise and sensitive that he could even detect the sound waves created by the friction of an object as it moves. Obviously, Naruto used wave perception to track objects in motion. It was also used to confirm the position data obtained with flow perception, if the static object somehow creates pressure waves (for example, while a tree doesn't move, its branches and leaves do).

The last element was, of course, the name of the jutsu. At first, he had absolutely no idea what name to use. He had made a silent agreement to keep the _**Fuujin**_ line. He was determined to create a whole family of "Wind God" jutsus. They would be his trademark. So, the question was: _**Fuujin what?**_

His inspiration came from two sources. The first came two days before, during Shiki's lecture on Bloodline Limits: special abilities passed down genetically. Throughout the whole lesson it had been obvious by Shiki's tone that, for some reason, it was a topic his sensei didn't enjoy. When asked about it, Shiki only reprimanded Naruto for asking "pointless questions" and continued his discourse. Saya had a few more things to say.

"Please excuse my husband, Naruto. Bloodline Limits……they are a delicate topic for us. Let's just say……we………we……I mean……Bloodline Limits were once a problem for us. A very big problem. It's something about the past we don't really like talking about. I guess we'll eventually tell you about it, but……it's not easy for us. Please understand."

Naruto understood. He knew he wasn't the only person with painful memories. He, too, would have liked to keep the fact that some psycho attacked him and drove him to the brink of death as well as total and permanent blindness a secret from as many people as possible, but he guessed it was a truth rather hard to hide.

In any case, Shiki made a point to comment on the two most notorious of Konoha's Bloodlines: _**Byakugan **_and _**Sharingan**_. Naruto didn't fail to notice the snort that followed the first and the tone of sheer disgust that was used with the second. Whatever happened to Shiki that made him hate Bloodline Limits, it was **huge**. The point is that, once Naruto learned that Itachi was even more ridiculously **badass **than he had imagined (even if he agreed with his teacher: _**Sharingan's **_ability to copy jutsus was **beyond **cheap), he also noticed the simple little pattern.

He concluded his new perception jutsu had to have a "**gan**" somewhere in its name. Which one?

The desired "**gan**" word actually came from his memories. The day before, Saya asked Naruto if he knew how to read and write. Naruto told her about little Ichiraku Ayame, who actually was the first person who tried to teach him those two very basic skills. Of course, there was a limit to what a little girl could do. However, much to Naruto's joy, there was also Nara Shinobu, a librarian at the Konoha Village Library.

Fortunately for Naruto, the woman in her early twenties, like most Naras, followed a very simple mindset. Being a book addict herself, her moral principle was ridiculously simple: if he's interested in books, he cannot be that bad. Of course, Naruto was only following his "becoming smart to be acknowledged" idea, which drew him to the library in the first place. Shinobu, who easily noticed the kid was as lost as a dolphin in Suna, pretty much took her under his wing. Naruto would only visit the library when Shinobu was around. He didn't get along nearly as well with the other librarians.

That reminded him. _I haven't seen Shinobu-neechan in a while………and I promised Ten-chan I'd visit her again! And how long has it been since the last time I had ramen!?_

"Ugh……" Naruto groaned. Truly, within the cloistered world of Training Area 69, he felt disconnected from the rest of the universe.

Back on topic.

On their few meetings in the library, Naruto had become very aware of Shinobu's most notorious quirk. She was a fanatic of what is popularly known as "the occult." Considering they live in a **Shinobi Village** of all places, there weren't that many things they could call "paranormal." Still, Shinobi always carried with her a pile of books and folders with narrations and reports of things ordinary people would deem unexplainable. Her hobby was classifying these events between "do-able by ninjas" and "mysteriously mysterious." Naruto didn't share her enthusiasm (he found it amazing someone could be **more** enthusiastic than him about anything), but she was one of his few precious friends, so he stuck by her side. And that's how Naruto learned the basics of reading, courtesy of books on the supernatural. It didn't matter much anymore, since he couldn't read without eyes.

The whole point is that Naruto learned a thing or two about what is considered "paranormal." He learned a few complicated terms here and there, and he learned about the transference of information about an object, location or physical event through means other than the five traditional senses (of course, he didn't remember the exact definition; only that it was a cool unexplainable perception power). That was his "**gan**" word.

Naruto lifted his legs so that his feet pointed upwards before applying force to his entire body to lift himself, landing on his two feet on a half-crouch. Calmly, so as to not make mistakes, he made the sequence of ten hand seals.

"_**Fuuton! Fuujin Senrigan no Jutsu!**_" He shouted at the top of his lungs, because he could.

With those words, the darkness that was his existence became a shifting world of black and white. Wind God Clairvoyance allowed him to see objects as white shapes in a world of pure black. The trees became eerie white forms and he found himself suddenly standing on a white carpet. He knew that, should he apply more chakra, he would get greater detail. With enough chakra, he would be able to tell individual leaves in the trees and he would distinguish the grass for what it is instead of a smooth white surface. And that was the problem with his new jutsu.

It used **way too much chakra**.

_**Fuujin Senrigan **_mostly consisted on Naruto releasing a cloud of wind nature chakra all around him. The chakra mixed and mingled with the air around Naruto, sending information to his brain, which was properly converted into a visual output (the black-and-white image). Expelling chakra all around him is quite the taxing task. Of course, he could reduce the expenditure by limiting the range in both distance and angle (after all, the default angle was 360 degrees), but that was against the very point of the technique. He couldn't reduce the distance; that would reduce his overall effectiveness as a ninja. Hence, he was practicing to reduce the amount of chakra necessary to properly use _**Senrigan**_. However, by the looks of things, it would take quite a while.

For this reason, Naruto couldn't just keep the jutsu all the time. He feared chakra depletion. Naruto is yet unaware of full extent of his superb chakra capacity.

Besides, other than _**Senrigan's**_ chakra demand, he was struggling with Temperature Perception. As explained before, with the previous two stages he was just asking his brain to do something it already knew how to do in a slightly different way. With Temperature Perception, he didn't even have that. The human body perceives temperature through the skin, but the human body's heat receptors aren't the best when it comes to precise measurement. He guessed he **could **figure out the hand seals, but they would be nothing but funky gestures without proper visualization. That was the great dilemma: visualization. Naruto's question was simple: just how do you **see**heat? He needed to figure out a way he wanted his brain to **show** him hotter and colder things before even thinking of adding the temperature element to his _**Senrigan**_.

Long story short, Naruto had a headache.

"Augh……I need to relax……_**Hakkeshou**_ time!!!"

Naruto had added the gentle Taijutsu style to the very short list of things that made him relax. There were other two very good reasons for him to practice _**Hakkeshou**_. If Saya did show up to check on him, she'd be very pleased to see him practicing his katas. The other reason was even more encouraging.

The little episode with Sasuke had shown him that _**Hakkeshou **_was, in fact, a combat style. It was quite the eye opener. He was inspired and excited by what he had done and figured out that, the more he practiced the slow katas, the better he'd fight when using the _**Hakkeshou**_ moves at normal speed. Of course, when Saya wasn't looking, he liked switching from slow katas to fast katas. The first time he tried, he was surprised to notice his speed had increased somehow. It wasn't a very substantial improvement, but it was enough to be noticeable.

It was, in fact, a consequence of three things: Saya's little tinkering with minor healing jutsu to repair his weakened bones, the physical regimen she had imposed on Naruto and the considerable improvement of his daily diet. With his bones properly strengthened, his muscles could perform at their proper and full potential. As simple as that.

Whatever it was, Naruto thought, it was blatant proof that Saya's training somehow **worked**, and that was plenty enough for Uzumaki Naruto. It also made him appreciate his sensei for the mornings, despite her harshness at times and her foul language.

He took a deep breath, enjoying the feeling of his lungs expanding as they filled with pure air; air mixed with his own wind chakra. One of the unexpected and unnoticed consequences of Naruto's wind technique was that the wind-nature chakra cleansed and purified his respiratory tract as it flowed through it. Naruto would never suffer from a disease related to his respiratory system, not even the mildest irritation.

Despite the chakra expense it involved, Naruto used _**Senrigan**_ as often as possible, for two reasons. First of all, the only way he could improve its chakra efficiency was using it and testing it. Second, it allowed him to see. True, it wasn't nearly as good as real sight, but he could **see things**!!!

He tried to imagine his life without the Houraisan couple and Hyuuga Hiashi. Of course, he could have died if Mr. H hadn't found him, but, what if he had survived somehow? Having to spend the entirety of his life looking at nothing but black didn't excite him in the slightest. But Hiashi-san found him and took him to a safe place. Saya-neechan healed him and, together with her husband, gave him the push he needed to not give up on life. Even if he never figured out Temperature Perception, what he already had was so incredible!

_But it's not enough!!! It's not enough to be a ninja!!! I'll figure it out, no matter how long it takes!!!_

His self-encouraging thoughts brought a smile to his sweaty face as he performed the katas at a slightly faster pace than normal. As his body worked, he tried the one thing on which _**Senrigan **_had normal eyes completely beat: all-around perception. Since he expelled chakra in every direction, creating an invisible cloud of wind-nature chakra around him, it was as if he had eyes on the back of his head, on both sides, on top and pretty much all over his body. It was awesome beyond words. He had already made plans to show up in the middle of the Hyuuga Clan grounds and yell "EAT THAT, JERKS!!!" at the top of his lungs. Of course, he'd have to apologize to Mr. H, who, unlike most Hyuugas (thanks to Shiki's lesson, he had already recognized the Hyuuga clan as "those white-eyed stuck-up jerks"), was actually pretty cool. Like Itachi and the Uchiha bastards. Sasuke still wasn't his friend.

Of course not. He's a little pretentious idiot. Yeah.

* * *

Hinata strolled through the forest with a vestige of a smile. She was gathering her courage for the inevitable meeting. It was a good thing her birthday was always in the middle of the two-week-long winter holidays. It was also fortunate that winter was kind to her that day, allowing her to leave the house wearing her ordinary training clothes: dark blue silk pants and a t-shirt of identical color and fabric with an ample collar that might have showed some cleavage if Hinata were, let's say, ten years older. In fact, her clothes, combined with her curiously-shaped bowl-cut hairdo, might have made her look a bit boyish. Fortunately (or unfortunately, who knows), Hinata would be an early bloomer. Five years later, nobody would be able to take her for a boy.

She had to be grateful with her father. Not only had he given her directions to the boy's house; he had also allowed her to go unguarded. Either he was unusually lax that day or he was absolutely sure she was safe in the Training Area 69.

It was probably a combination of both. She was allowed to visit the Houraisan Grounds, but not before being reminded of the "celebration" in honor of her seventh birthday, which would take place at dinnertime. While she was promised privacy, she was sure there were bodyguards standing guard right outside the boundary of the Houraisan Grounds. They would only appear before her if they considered she would be late for the family meeting if she stayed any longer. All in all, she had the whole morning and a good portion of the afternoon to meet and talk with Naruto.

There was, however, a little problem. Her father gave her directions to Training Area 69. How was she supposed to find the house once within?

Unfortunately for her, Training Area 69 is quite large. Of course, little Hinata ended up hopelessly lost.

It hadn't been that long since she admitted to herself she had no idea where she was, but each and every second after that felt excruciatingly long. It was also the first time she was completely on her own, and her father had only allowed it because she had so eagerly requested it; on her birthday, even. So far her little forage on the outside world hadn't turned out well at all. She was scared, but her "New Hinata" philosophy demanded her to be strong.

She needed a sign, an indication, anything to tell her where to go, but the forest, no matter in which direction she looked at, showed her nothing but the apparently endless sea of trees. _**Byakugan**_ wasn't any help; her range wasn't much greater than her normal sight, and she couldn't see anything but trees everywhere.

_Somebody help me……anyone……anything!_

The heavens answered to her prayer in the form of a particularly loud blond. Of course, considering the distance, his loud voice reached her barely louder than a murmur.

"_**Fuuton! Fuujin Senrigan no Jutsu!**_"

Hinata perked up and didn't hesitate to follow the voice. While her short, uneasy steps guided her, her mind shared its conclusions. First, she recognized the voice. It was precisely the person she was looking for! _Lu-cky!!!_

Hinata was already acquainted with the significance of the word "_**Fuuton**_." It meant Naruto was using a wind jutsu. Of course, she didn't know a thing about wind jutsu, and she had absolutely no idea what a jutsu named "Wind God Clairvoyance Technique" could possibly do. She could only hope that, if it was an offensive technique of any sort, she wouldn't end up in the receiving end of it. She was over half a decade too early from learning _**Kaiten**_.

It didn't take her a minute to find Naruto. However, acting out of sheer subconscious reflex, she hid behind a nearby tree; only her head peeking out of her pathetic hideout to look at the boy. She could have just used _**Byakugan **_to see through the tree, but at this point it should be quite obvious that she's not thinking things much.

First impressions are always important (no matter how many times we claim otherwise) and Hinata's first impression was quite appealing. She was aware it had been over two and a half months since that fateful night, but it was still hard to believe she was looking at that poor boy in the brink of death. If her father hadn't assured her that Naruto was completely and permanently blind, she would not have believed it.

It wasn't the first time she saw a cheongsam, but it was certainly the first time she saw a boy wearing one, even if she was aware of the existence of cheongsams for males. However, it simply wasn't the kind of clothes commonly used, not even by females. She had always thought they were a very elegant and feminine attire, and it was obvious the same applied to Naruto's new look.

Well, the elegant part. In fact, Naruto looked anything but feminine. Even at his early age, his body had the slight bulk and the ample shoulders characteristics of the male gender. Gender aside, Hinata had to acknowledge those were very pretty clothes. She was also intrigued by the trigram design and the _**taijitu**_. Being a Hyuuga, she was quite acquainted with those symbols, but it was the first time she saw them on clothes (that she remembered).

Once she got past the first impression of Naruto's new clothes and overall state of cleanliness (he was a little sweaty, though), she paid more attention to what he was actually doing. That was the second surprise.

_That……that's __**Hakkeshou**_

No matter how much she looked; how much she tried to deny the fact, there was no mistake. That was _**Hakkeshou**_.

_H-How……?_

She was absolutely, positively sure no one outside of the Hyuuga Clan practiced that style. It was the prerequisite style every Hyuuga child had to learn before being initiated into _**Jyuuken**_!!! She was sure Naruto doesn't attend the Academy and even if he did, that isn't the style they teach at the Academy!

She studied his movements with all the attention she could muster without activating her _**Kekkei Genkai**_. His execution was flawless, yet it lacked the finesse and fluidity her tutors had always demanded from her. She guessed it was because of his bigger body, not really suitable for fluidity and speed at the same time. She also noticed he didn't know that many katas, but the fact that he knew any katas at all was incredible by itself. For an instant, her natural "Hyuuga pride" kicked in, but it was quickly dispelled before Hinata could feel the slightest hint of outrage. The little girl saw this incredible discovery for what it was……in her impressionable seven-year-old mind. Besides, this new……"Inner Hinata" also happens to be a little………unique.

_This is a sign! He knows __**Hakkeshou**__!!! This is a sign from……who knows? Who cares!? I must talk to him! He's the only one who can help me!!!_

It was probably the undivided attention Hinata devoted to Naruto's activities which helped him notice he was being watched. That and _**Senrigan's**_ all-around perception.

_Wait a damn second……what the heck is wrong with that tree!?_

Since _**Senrigan **_only shows him white shapes, depth perception is a bit difficult for Naruto. He couldn't tell that the round thing that "bulged" out of that tree was in fact a head peeking out from behind the trunk. To Naruto's limited vision, the tree had a tumor.

_Maybe I should warn Saya-neechan about that weird-ass tree……_ Naruto thought as he turned to look at it "directly." Fortunately, Hinata was kind enough to be, well, Hinata.

"Eek!" That was her reaction when she noticed Naruto turning around. Her cute little shriek, and the fact that the "bulge on the side of the tree" suddenly receded warned Naruto that the strange tumor was in fact the head of a human girl.

"Uhh……hello? Who's there?" Naruto slowly approached the tree, not really sure of how to act in this situation. It's not every day you find a little girl spying on you from behind a tree.

Hinata didn't need her special eyes to know Naruto was getting closer. She, however, was too busy trying to figure out why the hell she was so damn nervous!

Her back rested on the decades-old tree while her hands gently rested on her chest. It was the bane of her existence. She could act confident in front of any Branch Hyuuga (other than the elders), but once she left the gates of the Hyuuga house, she felt as if the world were trying to swallow her whole. Large crowds intimidated her, her father intimidated her, the ANBU intimidated her, but well, the ANBU intimidate everyone. Sometimes Hinata wondered if the ANBU were really that strong. A part of her thought they did their job with sheer intimidation and secrecy, and nothing else.

"So……um……you're not moving out of there?"

Hinata gasped. He was right behind her!

"Ah……ano……"

Naruto was still pondering whether to just look around the tree or wait for the girl to reveal herself.

"Umm……Uzumaki……Naruto……kun?"

"Um, yeah, that would be me."

_And you already know that! Stupid, stupid Hinata!!!_

"Ano……"

"Yeah, now's when you say your name. I'd like to know who I'm talking to, especially now that I can't see a thing."

"Auu……s-so-sorry……"

Naruto cringed. With that voice, he felt like apologizing. "Tell me your name; then apologize. No, scratch that; you don't have to apologize."

"H-Hyuuga…Hinata."

Hinata hadn't finished saying her name when Naruto popped out from her left side, his face twisted into that silly excited grin of his.

"Did you say Hyuuga!?"

"Aaaah!!!"

Naruto had to look down. If he had to guess, the girl had fallen on her butt. "Uh, I surprised you. Sorry about that." Naruto chuckled stupidly as he scratched the right side of his head.

"Ah, no……eh……"

Hinata looked with wide eyes at the hand he offered. But she couldn't take it. She was too busy staring at Naruto's new "eyes."

Even at first glance it was obvious that they weren't real. The white portion lacked luster, and it actually seemed to be made of some kind of rough material, like marble of something. A closer look would also reveal the absence of blood vessels. But Hinata couldn't care less about the white part. It was the center of Naruto's fake eyes that drew all of her attention.

……_that……__**taijitu**__……_

Yes, it was a _**taijitu**_. The colored portion of the "eyes" was a yin-yang circle of green and blue, unlike the usual black and white. If she were told, she'd find it hard to believe that it was two stones attached to each other. The coupling was just too perfect. The overall look was both intimidating and alluring. The forest green of the wood magatama made a beautiful contrast with the azure blue of the water magatama, which reminded Hinata of Naruto's original eyes.

It was a matter of taste, actually. Some would find Naruto's mediums pretty. Most would find them downright scary. But the looks of the magatama weren't what attracted Hinata, actually.

Naruto's eyes were **glowing**.

Shiki would eventually explain that the faint glow that sometimes could be seen from within the magatama was in fact Naruto's chakra as it flowed through the Body Circuit. Hinata had no way to know this (unless she used _**Byakugan**_). She only knew there was a faint glow within Naruto's false eyes. It was eerie, but the young Hyuuga also found it very pretty. It reminded her of fireflies.

"Uh……I don't think my face's that interesting."

Hinata shook her head very slowly. "It is………eek!" Her face felt like it was about to burst, after she was caught staring. She covered her face in shame, completely forgetting about the fact that Naruto couldn't really see her blushing. In the girl's mind, the whole thing had ended in utter failure.

_Stupid, stupid, stupid Hinata!!!_

Strangely enough, Hinata argued with her own mind, quickly coming up with a valid excuse to justify her……Hinata-ness.

_B-But! I-I-I wasn't ready for those………pretty……auuu, Hinata, you idiot! Wha-what is he doing now-gyaaa!!!_

Tired of waiting for Hinata to take his hand, Naruto grabbed her by her left arm and lifted her like a feather.

_Strong!_

Naruto was quickly coming to realize that his incomplete _**Senrigan **_wasn't really that good, especially when it came to interacting with other people. In fact, talking to a human-like white shape was kind of freaky. It didn't help that this girl was the weirdest person Naruto had ever met……after Shinobu-neechan.

_But Shinobu-neechan is freaky-weird. This girl's just weird._

"Uh, you okay?" Naruto inquired, not letting go of her arm. He didn't want her falling on her butt in front of him again.

Hinata now only had eyes for the hand that firmly clutched her left arm. She could stand on her two feet, but it seemed Naruto wasn't aware of this.

"Aaaa……yes……sorry……"

Naruto frowned, closing his eyes to make his famous vulpine face. "You apologize too much."

Hinata didn't know whether to feel ashamed or angry about that comment. "Ano……your hand……"

"Ah! Heheh, sorry……I can let go now, I guess……"

An uneasy silence ensured; neither of the two knowing what to do or say. It took Naruto remembering what the girl had said before the whole falling episode occurred for the conversation to be resumed.

"Ne, ne, did you really say Hyuuga? Do you know Mr……I mean, Hiashi?" In an unbelievable bout of insight, Naruto managed to correct himself in time. Hinata would eventually learn of the infamous nickname "Mr. H," but that day was yet to come.

Having already experienced one of Naruto's usual outbursts of emotion, Hinata was a bit more prepared for a second one. Her heart only skipped a beat and her body only jolted for an instant. Her brain didn't go haywire with nervousness, so she was able to process the question.

"You……you mean otou-sama?"

It still took her a full second to realize Naruto obviously knew her father at least by name.

"Whoa, you're his daughter? Cool!" Naruto frowned again. His mind had brought a fact. "You……you were there……that night……"

Hinata was amazed by the transformation. While his new "eyes" are incapable of displaying emotion, there was something in the way his eyelids dropped a bit and the way his perennial grin faded to become a flat line that drove Hinata to the borderline of depression herself. She could swear even the already-faint glow of his "pupils" became even dimmer.

Like any average person, Hinata doesn't like to be sad. She had come to realize she didn't like making this boy sad, even indirectly.

"Y-Yes……glad to see……you are okay……I mean! Other than……"

Hinata cringed when Naruto's grin returned with full force.

"Yeah, I'm up and running, better than ever! Well, there's the blind thing, but that won't stop Uzumaki Naruto!!! Nope!!!"

_There it is again. That! That's what I want for myself!!!_

She remembered his smile. The comforting smile he offered her even when his body was mangled and torn and his eye sockets were two bloody pools. And, again, he was there, comforting her when he was the one who should be suffering. Not just that, with just a grin and few words, he had shown her he could lose his sight and **move on**. If Hinata lost her eyes, her life would be done and over with.

"That……I want that……"

"Eh? You said something?"

"Ah! Ah……" _Muster your courage, Hinata! _"N-Na-Naruto-kun……can we……talk……for a while?"

Naruto shrugged. "Well, I should be practicing my _**Hakkeshou**_……and find a way to make that stupid heat perception work………but it's not every day Hiashi's daughter comes for a visit! Come'ere."

Naruto walked back to sit on the same place where he had slumped down a while before. Leaning his back the nearest tree, he waited for Hinata to sit down in front of him.

"So, you're Hyuuga Hinata……"

"Y-Yes……"

Naruto grinned widely. Hinata thought it reminded her of her little sister. "Hina-chan!"

"Eh!? M-Me?" Hanabi also called her "Hina." But that's because she still cannot say her older sister's name right.

"Yep! Well, I don't see anyone else around here."

_Yep, definitely like Hanabi-chan._ Hinata thought at the sight of Naruto's silly grin. Hinata didn't know if comparing Naruto with a two-year-old was a good thing or a bad thing. It was interesting that Naruto seemed to have absolutely no trouble addressing her with such familiarity. It was also interesting to realize she didn't mind in the slightest.

"Ne, Hina-chan, why are you here anyway? Not many people come here……I think not many people know this place even exists……"

"Ah……otou-sama told me……about this place………"

"Ah, of course, of course……but why hasn't he come to visit? I guess I'll have to look for him myself……ugh, that will be troublesome………wait, did he send you or something?"

"N-No……I came on my own……I……" _This is kinda embarrassing……_ "……I wanted to see you, too……"

Naruto actually blushed a little. "Really? Heheh……that's nice……thanks!"

Hinata joined him in a round of mild blushing. "Ye-Yeah……you're welcome………"

Naruto remained silent after that. He didn't really have anything to say, even if he really disliked those uncomfortable silences. Besides, Hinata was the one, who went looking for him, so she should lead the conversation, right?

_Then again, she seems to be a quiet girl, so maybe………_

"I must have really given you a scare that night; didn't I? Sorry about that, heheheh……" Not even Naruto believed that uncertain laughter. However, it accomplished the purpose of making Hinata talk.

"Ah! No! Of course not! Don't……I wasn't……you didn't……"

Naruto chuckled and grinned. "Ah, come on, don't be like that. Even I would have been scared! Now, really……"

"………" Hinata lowered her head bashfully. "……a little."

"There you go!" Naruto exclaimed triumphantly. "But don't worry! I'm as good as I could possibly be! Hey, hey, wanna know what happened?"

Hinata's eyes widened. Her father never gave her any details of what happened later that night, so she had guessed it was some sort of secret. That didn't smother her curiosity.

"Ye-yes! Sure!"

Naruto grinned and told her the whole story, or at least what he remembered. He had no idea what happened while he was unconscious, and he definitely wasn't telling her about that scary dream about the eye. Not even his teachers knew about that. He told her about the two Houraisan, Shiki and Saya. He told her how the couple convinced him that blindness was an obstacle that could be overcome and how he moved in with them. He told her about Itachi and Sasuke, about Tenten and Ichiraku Ramen. About old man Hokage and Nara Shinobu. He basically made a compilation of the few good things in his life. Naruto guessed it wouldn't be fun to tell Hinata about all the crappy stuff.

He told her about Saya's physical and perception training, unveiling the mystery of how he learned _**Hakkeshou**_. Hinata made a mental note. She wanted to meet this Saya person.

Finally, he talked about his training with Shiki, about_** Kage Bunshin no Jutsu **_(with jaw-dropping demonstration included), _**Fuujin Tesabaki**_ and about the jutsu he was trying to develop, _**Fuujin Senrigan**_.

"………damn, I've done a lot of stuff lately! Right, Hina-chan? Hina-chan………Hina-chan!"

Hinata was stunned beyond words. The more Naruto spoke, the more she wanted to curl into a little ball and let the world swallow her. The more he spoke, the more aware she became of how pathetic she is. Not only he had overcome the agony of having lost his eyes, he had already accomplished so much in just two and a half months! He had even developed a jutsu, and he was working on another which would help him see without eyes! A jutsu! An honest to God, original jutsu! She barely knew what a jutsu was!

She wasn't even wondering how she could be like him anymore. A new doubt had crept its way to the surface of her mind.

_Is it even possible for me………to be like him?_

"HINA-CHAN!!!"

"Ha-HAI!!!!?" Hinata shrieked and her body stiffened like cat in front of a hound. However, Naruto's worried expression troubled her. Or, at least, she thought it was a worried expression. It's hard to tell with those fake eyes.

"Ah, sorry, Hina-chan, did I wake you up?"

Hinata frowned. "Wake……up?"

"Didn't……didn't you get bored and fell asleep……or something?"

"Ah? No! No, not at all……I was……thinking……"

Naruto frowned. "……you think a lot, Hina-chan."

"You think so?"

"Yeah! I mean, thinking so much that you couldn't even hear me? Don't you get headaches doing that?"

"No……not really." In any other circumstance she would have found the conversation a bit amusing.

"Really……so, what were you thinking?"

"Ah!?" No way in hell she was telling him what she had been thinking! "Well……umm……I guess……I'm glad you are okay………"

"Thank you!"

"Ah, it's nothing……and, well, I was……I guess……it must be nice……"

"What?"

"That you have people who want to take care of you, Naruto-kun. Like a family."

"Hmm……" Naruto had obviously thought about it. Was that really how it felt, having a family? "…well, it's kinda weird, you know……"

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, well……I don't really know……I mean, it's the first time……someone actually is taking care of me. And it's weird, you know! At the orphanage, with all those children, they didn't really have time to pay real attention to each one of them……and I think they actually ignored me on purpose. Then I lived alone……for a while, and, well, I was alone. Old man Hokage showed up every once in a while, but that's it. Ah, but! I-I know old man Teuchi and Ayame-neechan care about me and stuff, but, well, we only met when I showed up to eat ramen, so it's not the same……"

Hinata only nodded.

"I……" Naruto's voice had softened, which showed the girl he was really thinking his words. "…I don't know if it's really like a family, but……whatever it is……it's nice. It's really, really nice!!! I mean, Saya-neechan's really cool and nice. She hugs me a lot, but I don't really mind. She also taught me _**Hakkeshou**_, and it's really cool! I'm really becoming stronger! Oh, and her meals are great! She doesn't like making ramen, but I guess life isn't perfect……" Naruto pouted after that last part. Hinata giggled. Naruto's priorities are strange.

"And there's also Shiki-sensei. Well, he's kinda quiet, like Hiashi, but he's okay. I don't really see him that often, only when we all eat together. Actually, my clones spend more time with him than me!!!"

"Why?"

"Well, since he doesn't have to watch over my _**Senrigan **_training, he makes me create clones to teach them all sorts of things. Anyway, Shiki-sensei is really serious and stuff, and sometimes he uses difficult words and I don't get a thing he says, but he teaches me lots of cool things. He promised he'll teach me how to make exploding tags! That will be awesome! But he didn't tell me when……oh, I'll just bug him until he teaches me!"

Naruto's grin was contagious. He might not be aware of the full extent of his feelings for his teachers and caretakers, but he was definitely happy, and Hinata couldn't help but bask in his happiness. He was like a little sun, which is ironic, considering her name.

"Alright, now's your turn!"

"Eh?"

"Hey, it's not fair if I tell you everything about me! Now it's your turn to talk!"

"Talk…? A-About what?"

"Anything! Just tell me about you! Or about Hiashi! Or about your mom, or your siblings or whatever! The Hyuugas are one of those important clan things, right? Tell me about that! Oh, tell me about school! Do you go to school!?"

"The Academy……" Hinata muttered weakly. The more he asked, the more she realized she had only sad things to say about her life.

"The Academy!? As in the Ninja Academy!? You're going to be a ninja!? Awesome! How is it!? How are the classes? Are they fun? Do they teach cool jutsu there? Are there many kids there? Are they any good? Ah, the bastard Sasuke goes to the Academy, too! Do you know him!? Damn, that's got to be soooo cool!!!"

Naruto's words were like the order to open the floodgates. He gave her the cue; there was no way to stop her anymore. Besides, it was what she had intended to do since the beginning.

She began by revealing that it was her birthday. She told him that was the sole reason she was allowed to be there that day. She told him about the rest of her family, consisting of her father and her two-years-old sister Hanabi. When asked about her mother, Hinata shed the first tears as she remembered her and how she died after giving birth to Hanabi. She shared with Naruto the few memories she had of her mother, and the boy learned of Himeko's love of flowers and songs, of her lovely smile and of her devotion to her husband and her clan.

Naruto couldn't imagine how it felt to lose a parent. He never had parents in the first place. He was about to apologize to Hinata and tell her she didn't have to say more, but the girl couldn't be kept quiet. She wouldn't stop until she had said everything she so desperately needed to say.

She told Naruto about the kidnapping attempt on her person when she was three years old. She barely remembered feelings and impressions of that event, so she could only tell him what she had heard later: that a shinobi from the Village Hidden in the Clouds, under the guise of an ambassador willing to sign a peace treaty between Kumo (Cloud) and Konoha, took her from her bedroom while she slept. After her father caught and killed the traitorous foreign ninja, Kumo denied the kidnapping attempt and, claiming outrage for the death of their ambassador, demanded Hiashi's death. Despite knowing they were in the right, the leaders of Konoha, not wanting to risk the beginning of yet another war between the two shinobi villages, decided to acquiesce and give Kumo what they wanted. However, Hiashi's twin brother, Hizashi, took the clan leader's place and gave his life for him.

Hinata was too caught in her confession to keep track of Naruto's emotions as she spoke. The boy had been mesmerized by Hinata's story. He had never imagined something like that had happened in his village. His heart beat faster when Hinata said she had been kidnapped and he sighed in relief when she said she was rescued by her father. By the end of the story, Hinata had instilled within Naruto a deep hatred for Kumogakure and a great respect for her late uncle Hizashi.

"You……I guess you and your family have had it tough……"

Hinata ignored him. She might have not even heard him. She explained him how the loss of his brother and his wife deeply affected Hiashi and, as a consequence, the clan as a whole. She told him that her family was virtually inexistent. Hanabi is left under the care of surrogate mothers and tutors and Hinata rarely can see her. She only sees her father during meals and _**Jyuuken **_practice, so he either completely ignores her existence or tries to ingrain the Hyuuga Clan's signature style in her with thorough and painful beatings.

"And the clan elders suddenly expect me to become some sort of super perfect Hyuuga leader that knows everything and can do everything and just cannot do anything wrong!" She's already crying by this point. "I always do my best, and I make my best effort to please them so that my father can be proud of me, but it doesn't matter how hard I try! It doesn't matter to them! It's never enough for them!!! It's never enough, and they're always pointing out every single mistake I make………sometimes before I even notice! Sometimes I think they do it just to spite me! And then my failures only disappoint Father and he acts even colder towards me, and that only makes me sadder and I get nervous and I make even more mistakes!"

Hinata raised her head to look at Naruto. His face was unreadable.

"And…and……my tutors are all so harsh, trying to teach me everything they can in no time at all. I don't have time to play or do things I like. I have to go straight home from the Academy for even more lessons at home……it doesn't matter how I do at the Academy, if I'm not the best I'm worthless……I know I can do well at the Academy, but I just get too nervous, and nobody talks to me……I want to talk to them, but they're all so different from me……they all seem so happy and carefree and it's not fair! Nobody's fair!!! And I……I………I miss mom………I miss dad……I hate being the heiress, but I have to do it……if I don't, Hanabi-chan will have to go through the same, and I'll end up marrying into another family and getting that horrible Curse Seal……"

Okay, so maybe she was more aware of her situation that most would think at first glance. Of course, Naruto couldn't imagine what the "Curse Seal" Hinata mentioned could be, but it didn't seem nice at all.

"I just……I just want everyone to be nice to me………my life……I hate my life……I hate myself………everything is so……sad and depressing………I don't want that……I'm tired……help me……help me, please………"

Naruto was startled when Hinata took his hands in hers. He couldn't see her tears, but he could almost feel them. He could almost smell and taste her boundless misery and self-loathing.

"If I'm like you, I can do it! I can be the heiress, and I can make my father look at me! If I'm like you I won't be afraid or ashamed anymore!! I want to be like you, Naruto-kun!!! Help me, please!!! Please!!!"

After that final exclamation, Hinata slumped down, tired and defeated. For several minutes, Naruto "watched" the back of her head, feeling his hands being squeezed with every sob. He remained quiet and impassive, waiting for Hinata to let go of his hands. On the other side, the girl was beyond devastated. She had poured out her soul in front of that boy. Her deepest, darkest thoughts were unveiled and released in front of one Uzumaki Naruto as the little Hinata poured out her hopes, pains and gallons of desperation. She felt devastated, but she was also relieved. She had said everything she needed to say; everything she had kept bottled within her for too long. She had reached the bottom of her own pit. Now, Naruto-kun would pull her out of that pit and help her become the person she wanted to be. With his help, everything would be right………right?

Hinata expected Naruto to transform her. She looked up at him again, expectant to see his response. Yet his face remained as unreadable as before. There was nothing there: no pity, no compassion, no anger, no understanding, no acknowledgement. The warm, comforting smile she had expected wasn't there, either, and alarms blared in Hinata's head.

"Na-Naruto……kun?"

She felt his hands trying the get free from her grasp and she let go. When she did that, something in his expression changed, and she finally recognized the emotion in his face. It was a face she was used to receiving from many Hyuugas.

It was contempt.

And Hinata's heart was broken.

"I don't like you."

* * *

_The thrilling silence of the seemingly sleeping forest was torn like a knife through butter by the ragged breath of the tall woman. Her appearance, which should have been regal and awe-inspiring, looked anything but. Her face was a mess, its natural milky white complexion disrupted by traces of blood and dirt.__ Her long black hair cascaded disorderly down her face and back, covering most of her facial features, the ponytail that usually held it having long disappeared in the midst of violence. Her pupil-less lavender eyes, normally calm, warm and tender, glowed with uncontrollable fury and frustration. Her tiny little upturned nose was overly dilated, her nostrils working extra to feed her body with much necessary oxygen. Her lips, normally shaped into a beautiful, kind smile, were contorted into a nasty scowl. A little glistening trail of saliva dripped down from a corner of her mouth, but the woman seemed either unaware of it or just didn't feel like cleaning herself._

_Her hands rested on her knees. Her body was arched forwards. The dark blue jumpsuit she wore, unlike a certain other Taijutsu artist, actually looked decent on her, following the shapely curves of her small but perky breasts, her slim waist, her wide hips and her slender, athletic legs built for melee combat._

_Twelve yards away stood the object of the woman's frustrations. The other, shorter, woman strolled shamelessly in nothing but her pretty white panties. For some reason, the sight of her erect pink nipples infuriated the exhausted woman beyond reason. For a second, the woman actually wondered if her eccentric opponent got aroused by beating the shit out of her, but quickly discarded the idea, blaming the erection on the cold breeze and the friction of moving at very high speeds._

"_What happened, Himeko-chan?" Houraisan Saya taunted. "Wasn't today supposed to be the day you defeated me?" The Taijutsu Master kept her muscles warm by jumping stupidly on one foot and then the other and Himeko found herself following the hypnotic little bounce of Saya's B-cups. Himeko had always been a bit too conscious of the size of her breasts. She found it unfair that a "midget" like Saya could have a bigger chest than hers, even if the difference was minimal._

"_Sh-Shut up……" Himeko growled, a very unsightly behavior coming from a Hyuuga. She had sworn that morning when she woke up that she would challenge and defeat her sensei that day. She had never felt so ready in her life. _

_Himeko was a woman of little ambition. She actually looked forward to living as nothing but a devoted housewife. She was being courted by __her childhood friend and sparkling new Clan Leader (of all people) and, surprise, she found herself actually falling in love. She loved Hiashi and she couldn't wait for the day her silly sweetheart actually gathered his guts and asked her to marry him. She was twenty-five years old, for Kami's sake! She wasn't getting any younger! And the elders would get a piece of her if they got in the way!_

_So, yes, Hyuuga Himeko is a simple woman with simple wants. In that moment, her only ambition was to remove that smug smirk off her damned sensei's little prepubescent face!_

_Why couldn't she defeat her!? Why was it that, no matter how many years she trained; how many styles she mastered, the difference between them was still so abysmal?_

"_Didn't you have enough already, Himeko? Stop this idiocy and let's train properly."_

"_NO!!! Today……today is the day the student surpasses the master!"_

_Saya sighed melodramatically as she waited for Himeko to restart her offensive._

"_**Ryoutotsugeki!!!**__" Charging her hands with chakra, Himeko tried a succession of wide arcing swipes, beginning with an upwards slice of her right hand. Saya dodged by taking a step to her right, and raised an eyebrow when she saw the shockwave Himeko's slice created as it cut the air._

"_Waste of chakra……"_

"_Shut up!!!" Himeko spun counterclockwise at a speed the human eye would barely follow, to make a horizontal slice with her left hand, followed with a right hand thrust. Saya swatted away Himeko's left hand with her own and took another step to the right to dodge the thrust, following with a chop to Himeko's forehead. The Hyuuga ducked and tried a fast sequence of thrusting attacks which Saya parried or dodged with little effort. Himeko released a high-pitched war cry as she released the gathered chakra in her hands in a two-hand thrust that provoked an explosion of chakra._

_Himeko's __**Byakugan**__ told her Saya had escaped the blast, though. She could feel Saya's chakra signature……_

"_**Doryuukoushou!!!**__"_

_Himeko slammed her right palm on the ground, releasing a powerful pulse of chakra that shook the ground with its power. She smirked when her Bloodline Limit showed her how the ground under the hidden Saya opened up to swallow her. However, once again, Saya's speed proved to be superior._

"_Tch__, damn her and her speed………eek!"_

_The taller female shrieked when Saya emerged from the foliage of a nearby tree, lunging at Himeko with a flying kick. Her left arm blocked the impact, making Himeko wince with its sheer strength. She tried a __**Jyuuken**__ strike at the offending leg with her left hand, but Saya spun in midair, so fast that it seemed like she was defying gravity. Knowing Saya, Himeko guessed that wasn't too far from the truth._

"_**Tenshuu Ranbu!!!**__" Saya attacked with sequence of spinning kicks in midair that put Himeko's parrying skills to the test. When Saya's left foot finally touched the ground, Himeko counterattacked with a swift kick to the heel._

"_Oof!!" Saya grimaced as she lost her balance and fell on her right side. Using her left hand to support herself, she tried a high roundhouse kick with her right foot. However, Himeko had predicted this move and ducked with plenty of anticipation._

"_Fire chakra in my left hand……wind chakra in my right hand……"_

_Saya's eyes widened in recognition. "Oh fuck-"_

"_**Ouryuu Benibakushou!!!**__"_

_Himeko's palms struck Saya's stomach and released an explosion of fiery orange chakra that resembled an infernal conflagration. Saya cried as the violent spherical prison seared her skin and burned her own chakra before exploding and sending her flying to crash on a tree trunk ten yards away. Fortunately, the attack was made of strengthened fire chakra instead of real flames, so there was no risk of Saya losing her single piece of clothing._

_Saya was called a Taijutsu Master for a reason. Even in the throes of searing pain and despite the sudden force of the explosion, she managed to twist her body so that, after slamming the tree behind her, she fell on her two feet. Leaning on the tree for support, Saya tried to take a breath, but the sudden proximity of Saya's chakra signature triggered her mental alarms. Raising her head, she noticed her Hyuuga apprentice standing in front of her in an awfully familiar stance: right leg vertical and minimally bent; left leg fully stretched forward; left arm stretched forward with the palm facing up and the back of the hand almost touching the left foot; and the right arm fully stretched backwards with palm facing upwards._

_Saya found Himeko's triumphant smirk almost hilarious._

"_You are within the range of my divination, Saya-sensei."_

"_What a coincidence!" Saya replied with her perkiest voice. "You too!"_

_Himeko, glowing with suppressed anger, bent her body forwards for the necessary burst of speed, but she lost the moment she chose to taunt her __teacher. Saya had already figured out a counter._

**Kaimon!!!**

"_**Hakke…Rokujuuyon-oggh!!!**__"_

_Saya's release of the __**Kaimon**__ (Initial Gate) removes the natural limit the brain imposes on the maximum muscular strain, increasing her strength and speed to incredible levels. Himeko hadn't finished calling her technique when a powerful kick to her chest sent her flying upwards way past the tree line. An instant later, she felt Saya's presence right below her, following her movement in midair with scientific precision._

"_Ugh…what the……Initial Lotus?__ Like hell you will! __**Kaiten!!!**__"_

_Releasing a large amount of chakra from every single chakra point in her body, Himeko began an astoundingly fast rotation, creating a protective shell of spinning chakra around her. She grinned when her Heavenly Spin struck Saya's body, only to grimace when it exploded in a cloud of smoke. Exhausted, Himeko had no choice but to stop her spinning._

"_**Kage Bunshin**__……she knew I was going to do this!!!"_

_Saya's sickly sweet voice sent a shiver down Himeko's spine. She was right behind her!_

"_**Hakke**__……"_

_Himeko cried in agony when Saya slammed her left ankle on her right side, right on her liver. Himeko looked to her right and met Saya's ferocious gaze before the Taijutsu Goddess made a complete turn of her body to slam both heels on Himeko's lungs. Before the force of the blows could send Himeko back to the ground, Saya's tremendous speed allowed her to somehow move __**under**__ Himeko's body to slam her left foot with a rising kick on the Hyuuga's back. The force of this kick made Himeko's body arch upwards, and Hiashi's girlfriend feared her spine would break. Her body arched upwards in an inverted V became a normal V when Saya quickly spun and kicked the back of Himeko's neck with her right foot. Saya spun again to bury her left ankle on the right side of Himeko's neck, sending her flying to her left like a human arrow. Her flight was interrupted by Saya's drop kick, and Himeko saw stars when her teacher's right ankle this time struck the crown of her head. Once again, she was going down and her imminent crash was stopped by Saya's pincer kick to the kidneys: Saya's left foot struck Himeko's lower back and her left foot struck at Himeko's front. With the strength of her legs, Saya threw Himeko's mangled body to the ground, and the Hyuuga closed her eyes and embraced herself for the imminent finale, only to open them wide and gasp in agony when the flat side of Saya's left foot struck her heart at the same moment her back crashed on the grass._

"……_**Gurenkyaku!!!**__"_

_A minute later, u__tterly defeated, Himeko allowed Saya to perform her healing magic on her mangled body, which she barely felt at all. She was in too much pain to feel angry or sad or anything at all. Her neutral gaze studied Saya's expression, and she could see the strain on her sensei's features, consequence of releasing the Initial Gate. Saya's olive eyes met Himeko's pupil-less orbs, and the student melted under the warmth of the teacher's smile._

"_And that's why you failed the Trial of Hourai, Himeko-chan."_

_All feelings of warmth and comfort disappeared and were replaced with an angry frown._

"_You just don't want to teach me __**Fukyuu no Ryuu**__."_

_Saya sighed. Sometimes her student was such a child……_

"_Himeko, the First Hokage __**barely**__ passed the test. Even after the Trial, he __**barely**__ managed to learn the basics of the style. I wanted to teach you, Kami knows I did. That's why I made you undergo the Trial on the first place. But it's obvious you weren't ready."_

_Himeko lifted her body to a sitting position, grimacing as her entire body complained. "Let me do it again! I wasn't ready back then, but……"_

"_The result would be the same."_

"_Bu-But! Sensei, I've mastered two more styles since then! I'm stronger! I defeated Gai-kun! And Orochimaru-sama! And Arashi-kun!"_

"_Gai-kun is fourteen years old, Himeko. He's just a Genin. A very talented Genin, but a Genin nonetheless. Your fight with Orochimaru was Taijutsu only, of course you won. And Arashi-kun didn't use __**Hiraishin**__."_

_Himeko pouted. "Sure, ruin my little victories.__"_

_Saya smirked evilly. "Tsunade beat you."_

"_Only because she managed to catch me. Those bitchslaps of hers hurt!"_

_Saya chuckled and helped Himeko get back up. However, it proved to be impossible. Her body simply wasn't responding. Saya knelt by Himeko's right, offering an apologetic look._

"_Himeko, it's never been about how strong you are or how good at Taijutsu you've become.__ I can't really explain it because I'd have to reveal something that must not be revealed, but, in lack of better words, your soul is lacking."_

"………_that doesn't make any sense."_

"_I know. But you can't learn Immortal Dragon of Houraisan, and that's definite. I'm sorry."_

"………_if I don't make it to dinner with Hiashi I swear I'll kick your sorry ass, sensei."_

_Saya's apologetic look promptly disappeared, becoming a frown of mock anger. __"Hey, I'm very proud of my ass!"_

"_It looks like the back of one of Jiraiya-sama's toads."_

"_Ouch, that hurt. Made little sense__, but hurt."_

_Himeko chuckled. For some reason, whenever she was with Saya she acquired her sensei's dirty mouth and fondness for making fun of people._

"_Combining the Celestial Gates with the fundamentals of __**Jyuuken**__………those kicks were charged with chakra………I'm not surprised………only you could do something like that, Saya-sama……"_

_Saya read the look on her apprentice's face. "For the last time: no, I'm not teaching you how to open the Eight Celestial Gates, Himeko."_

"_Auuu……"_

"_Pouting cutely doesn't work on me."_

"_Auuuuuuu…………"_

"_Blinking cutely won't work, either………"_

"_Seeeeennnseeeeeeeiiii………………"_

"_The voice neither! Damn it, Himeko, I don't swing that way! And people say I'm the pervert."_

_Himeko's face straightened. __"Well, sensei, you ARE a pervert."_

"_But I'm straight, girl. Straight and happily married."_

"_Sensei, you owe me! Those kicks could have killed me!!!"_

"_Not even you believe that. You do know I can control the force of my blows."_

"_Hai, hai."_

_They remained silent for a few minutes, while Saya fully recovered from the strain of the Initial Gate and Himeko gained enough strength to stand up._

"……_ne, sensei."_

"_Hmmm?"_

"……_my children………will you train them too?"_

_Saya frowned……and then smirked. "My, my……children, you say? So you've already gone that far on your plans with __Hiashi-kun?"_

"_Eh?"_

_Saya lowered her face until it was mere inches away from Himeko's. The proximity plus the almost-total nudity made Himeko feel very uncomfortable._

"_Hey, you two……have you done it?"_

_Blood flooded Himeko's normally pale face, becoming a very noticeable crimson._

"_D-D-D-Do-Do-Don-Do-DONE IT!?"_

_Saya laughed heartily while Himeko shyly lowered her head and fiddled with her fingers as she muttered who knows what._

"_I love that flustered face of yours, Himeko-chan."_

* * *

Saya woke up with a frown. _That's happening more often these years._

By "that," Saya meant dreams involving past memories. She guessed it was yet another sign of age and decay finally catching up to her. She was surprised she could still dream at all. She guessed that, as long as she had enough chakra, her body could work like any ordinary human body, to the point of manifesting dreams while she sleeps.

She did wonder why she saw that one amongst all her memories. _Are you trying to tell me something from the afterlife, Himeko?_

Saya knew every day that passed without an apprentice was a day wasted and completely lost. Even if Shiki wouldn't say it out loud, Saya knew it was pretty much definite that Naruto would become the heir of Shiki's Fuuinjutsu. The kid was pretty much made to be a mid-to-long range heavy ninjutsu specialist. The combined offensive-defensive capabilities of Shiki's seals were perfect for the kid. Even better, Naruto would have lots more chakra than Shiki, which meant he could use the seals again and again and again.

Saya shuddered. Naruto wielding Shiki's seals would a sight to behold. Just like hordes of Naruto shadow clones spamming shuriken shadow clones or Naruto using _**Jyuuken**_ with the Kyuubi's demonic chakra……

_W__here do I get those insane ideas from!?_

Her musings was interrupted by the sounds coming from the piano. Two shadow clones of Naruto were still going at it, repeating the exercises Saya had appointed for them; basically keying all the eight octaves from first to last consecutively and then backwards. Both Naruto and Saya knew the piano lessons were more of a game between the two. While not impossible, learning how to play the piano would be extremely difficult for the blind Naruto, unless he figured out _**Senrigan**_. The clones told her they had to pull out even more chakra to _**Senrigan**_ for them to be able to tell the black keys from the white keys by the difference in height. Shiki and Saya knew that _**Senrigan **_was far from a usable jutsu. Improvement of that technique would be an immense challenge for the boy, but it was necessary of him to succeed if he wanted a chance to join the Academy.

"Alright, kids, that's enough." She clapped to get the Narutos' attention.

"Ah, Saya-neechan, you woke up."

"How did you even know I was asleep?"

"Well, you went awfully quiet." The clone closest to her commented. The second clone followed.

"And then the sound of your breathing told us you were sleeping."

"The sound of my breathing? Interesting……so, how long do you guys have?"

The first clone shrugged. "Naruto put a lot of chakra on making us, so we'll be around for a while. What should we do, Saya-neechan? We tried calling out Shiki-sensei to teach us something, but he won't answer."

Saya snorted. "He never answers once he locks himself in that room. Well, why don't you try the laundry?"

"Auuu……" Since the week before, Naruto had started to help with the house chores, as his perception skills had improved considerably.

"You two sweethearts do that and I might consider teaching you something after you're done."

"Alright! Laundry it is……"

Saya watched the two eager clones as they went to Naruto's bedroom to get the dirty clothes. There was an evil grin on her face.

_By the time you're done, you'll be out of chakra, little idiots.__ Now, I guess I should check on the real Naruto……I hope he didn't go too far………_

* * *

"……what?"

That wasn't supposed to happen. That wasn't the way Hinata had pictured it. Naruto was supposed to understand her! Comfort her! Acknowledge her! Support her and guide her! He knows her pain; the pain of being belittled, ignored and disrespected. Then……why!?

"I don't like you, Hyuuga Hinata."

"Wha-what……why?"

She could feel even more tears pouring out of her eyes. Naruto was supposed to be her last and strongest support, her beacon to lead her to a bright new life. With his disapproval, Hinata felt the last vestiges of hope crumbling down.

At this rate, her sanity would follow.

"Because you're weak, and the only thing you do is whine about it!!!"

Hinata cringed by the intensity of Naruto's words. "B-But…"

"But nothing! Your clan thinks you are a loser!? PROVE THEM OTHERWISE!!!"

"Bu-But, how…?"

"They think you're not working hard enough? WORK TWICE HARDER THAN ANY OF THEM!!!"

"That…"

"You think they're being mean to you!? TELL THEM TO STOP!!!"

Hinata gasped. "I could ne-"

"You just can't sit down and cry and hope for someone to show up and be nice to you! Believe me, I know! You clan sucks? TRY TO CHANGE IT!!! If anyone has a chance to do that, it's you! You're the frickin' HEIRESS!!! It won't be easy, but nothing is! You just want an easy way out of your sucky life, and that's why you're a loser!! Life doesn't work that way, Hinata!!! Get real!!!"

Naruto had stood up at this point, barking down words at the shivering, crying Hyuuga princess. He couldn't see her face, which was probably for the best, and she had long ago lowered her head to avoid looking at his.

"I……I don't……I need………"

"You can't even talk back to me. That's just sad."

"I……" Anything she might have wanted to say was interrupted by a trail of sobs.

"You say you are sad. You say your life is horrible. You have done absolutely nothing to change that."

"Wha……"

"You and I both know your father is a good person. Have you tried standing in front of him and telling him 'Father, you frickin' **daughter** is here!'!?"

"But……father……"

"Those stupid elders look down on you because you are **weak**. Show them you are strong where it matters. Show them you won't let them treat you like worthless trash. Show them you're better than them."

"I can't……"

"You want victory without a fight. That makes you both selfish **and **stupid."

"I don't……"

"You complain about others and you only let them do as they wish with you."

"I don't……"

Hinata's shaking had reached its physical maximum. She clenched her fists, grabbing the cloth of her dark blue pants in an attempt to control herself.

"You want to overcome your problems but you freeze in the face of a challenge! You're a **coward**!!!"

"I don't want……" She bit her lower lip until it got dangerously close to bleeding.

"You expect someone to tell you how to solve your own problems! I can tell you expected **me** of all people to somehow solve all of your problems for you! Seriously, how fucking ridiculous and selfish is THAT!?"

"I don't want……" Hinata's bloodline limit triggered without her command; the veins around her eyes popping out as her perception increased to supernatural levels.

"No one can't help you. If you want to succeed, you have to do it yourself, but you are so afraid of failure you're not even willing to **try**. You're cowardly, weak……you're just plain pathetic!"

Hinata cringed at the way Naruto almost hissed the word "pathetic."

"I don't want to be that person!!!" She finally finished a sentence, but it seemed to have taken everything she had.

Naruto smirked and went for the kill.

"Your mother……" He said; his voice barely above a whisper as he leaned closer to Hinata. "……she would be **ashamed** of you!"

The next thing Naruto knew, he was sprawled on the ground several yards away from Hinata, clutching his chest tightly as he groaned in pain and……coughed up blood!?

Hinata looked at Naruto's prone form, stunned. Then she looked at her right hand, then back at Naruto. It didn't take a genius to figure it out. She had used _**Jyuuken **_on Naruto.

"Oh God! N-Naruto-kun!" She was by his side in an instant. "Are you alright?"

_I could have killed him!_

It was obvious that Naruto was anything but okay. His coughing hadn't receded, even if no more blood seemed to be pouring out of his mouth.

"Wha……what the hell was **that**!?" His voice was hoarse and it was obvious he struggled to speak.

Hinata's rightful anger had pretty much disappeared. "I-Oh God, I'm so sorry! I hit you with _**Jyuuken**_! I don't know what-kyaaa!"

Hinata flinched when Naruto grabbed her left hand. She tried to pull away; afraid of Naruto's possible response to her aggression, but the look of amazement on his face stunned her.

"That……that was _**Jyuuken**_?"

"Ye-Yes…?"

Naruto was up in an instant, startling Hinata one more time (she had done that a lot that day).

"Tha-That was-" He was interrupted by one last round of coughing. Hinata grimaced. She felt horrible. How could she have used _**Jyuuken**_? Then again, she had never been so angry in her entire life. And what happened to the boy who had been insulting her just a minute ago?

"That was **AWESOME**!!! Seriously, what's wrong with you!? You have such a kick-ass technique and you say you're **weak**!?"

The amount of emotion in his words intimidated her. She found it better to just fidget with her fingers.

"Ano……I………I'm not really very good at it………"

"WHAT!? IT GETS BETTER!? Damn………"

Naruto sat down again. He really wished he could at least see the eyes of the person he was talking to.

After a minute or two of absolute silence, Hinata dared look up at Naruto. "A-Ano………"

"What?" Naruto's voice was full of mirth. Not what Hinata expected in the slightest.

"I……I thought you hated me……"

"I said I didn't like you. I still don't."

Hinata whimpered, feeling her hopes and aspirations crumble and become nothingness.

"Now." Naruto continued as he stood up and walked around Hinata, who deactivated _**Byakugan **_and followed him with uneasy looks. "I could tell you I don't want such a shy, dark, weird and pathetic person in my life. I could tell you to go away and disappear from my life. I could tell you to buzz off. I could tell you I don't want to hear your voice or notice you near me ever again. But!"

Hinata leaned her body backwards when Naruto suddenly moved close and bent his body to look down at her.

"That's not the way Uzumaki Naruto does things!"

Naruto offered her his hands. "Get up, Hina-chan."

Two final tears escaped her eyes when she looked up. There it was: that comforting smile she had hoped for. That warm smile that showed compassion and understanding. She took his hands and allowed him to lift her up.

"You know, if I did that, I'd be a hypo……hypo……hypochondriac?"

Hinata giggled while she wiped her face clean of tears. "You mean hypocrite, Naruto-kun?"

"Ah, yeah! That!"

Hinata shook her head. She didn't want to know where Naruto learned the word "hypochondriac."

"I guess……I guess you are sorta like me, ne, Hina-chan?"

Hinata didn't know what to say about that, even if she unconsciously knew he was right. She had seen something of herself in him, that's why she had sought him in the first place.

"What is it that you really want, Hina-chan?"

"Eh?"

"Really, what do you want? I want to be a strong ninja that everyone respects and nobody messes with. What about you?"

"I……I want to be strong……I want otou-sama to be proud of me. I don't want to be sad all the time."

Naruto's expression softened. "Ne, Hina-chan……do you really want to be a ninja?"

Surprising even herself, Hinata shrugged. "I……don't really know. I don't really care. Even if I didn't want to, I don't have a choice. I can't say no to the clan tradition."

"So you don't have a choice."

Hinata nodded.

"You really are like me." Naruto concluded with a sad smile. Like he had told Shiki and Saya before, even if he didn't want to become a ninja, he didn't have a choice, either. Who would give a job to Uzumaki Naruto? Maybe old man Teuchi, but Naruto greatly preferred to be on the other side of the counter.

"Hina-chan, I want to be strong too. I want people to respect me instead of treating me like shit, and the only way I can do that is by becoming a good ninja. Just like you. But no one can make **me **strong. There is no easy way for me or you to become strong. No matter how much Shiki-sensei and Saya-neechan train me, I won't become strong if I'm not willing to give it my all. To be a ninja I need to go to the Academy. To do that I need to finish _**Senrigan**_. If ninja did nothing other than fighting, I guess this incomplete _**Senringan **_could work. I mean, I can already see things, even if it's only a bunch of creepy white shapes. But Shiki-sensei taught me that ninja do many other things, so what I have so far is not enough."

"I'm doing my best so that, with Shiki-sensei's and Saya-neechan's help, I can become a good and strong ninja. Now, what do you want, Hina-chan, and how do you plan to get it?"

Hinata could tell by the quiet and awfully-mature tone of Naruto's voice that this was a critical question. However, Naruto wouldn't give her a chance to answer……yet.

"Ne, Hina-chan. Saya-neechan told me all Hyuugas know _**Hakkeshou**_. Do you?"

Hinata nodded dumbly and Naruto grinned.

"Alright! Get up, we're going to fight."

"Eh? Eeeehhh!?"

There was nothing Hinata could do about it, though. Naruto jumped backwards and assuming a basic stance.

"Fight, Hina-chan."

"What? B-But, I don't want……"

"Hina-chan, if you don't fight you get hurt. It's as simple as that."

"But!!!"

"No more talking!"

Hinata moved out of simple muscle memory. Besides, Naruto wasn't nearly as fast as her father. When Naruto tried a left palm thrust at her chest, Hinata swiftly moved her body sideways at the same time she gently parried the attack with the back of her left hand.

_The movement is perfect, but it's slow and easy to counter……_

Hinata was too busy ignoring the gaping holes in Naruto's defense to react to Naruto suddenly turning counterclockwise to make a high roundhouse kick at the left side of her head.

"Ow!" Hinata whined cutely as she (again) fell on her rear. Naruto had been careful not to hit her too hard, but the surprise was enough to make her look shocked.

_That……that wasn't __**Hakkeshou. **__**Hakkeshou**__ doesn't use kicks………_

"That kick wasn't any faster than the thrust. Why didn't you defend yourself? You could have even attacked me before or while I made the kick. Why didn't you……?"

"But I don't want to hurt you, Naruto-kun!"

"Idiot."

Hinata gasped. Was he going to yell at her again?

"You think I enjoy hurting you, Hina-chan?"

Hinata hurriedly shook her head, if only to keep him calm and happy. "N-No!"

Naruto fell on his knees and moved closer to Hinata. "Fighting is wrong, even I know that. Why do you think I didn't fight any of the jerks who bullied me? Well, they would have probably kicked my ass, but……hehehe……" Naruto scratched his head while he grinned.

"But, you know, Hina-chan, I still want to learn how to fight, because I think sometimes there's no other way. If I had known how to fight I might have been able to stop the bastard who took my eyes. So, when the time comes, I'll fight. Because, if fighting weren't necessary, there wouldn't be any ninjas, right?"

As expected from Nauto; the simplest logic. Hinata had absolutely no response against that. Naruto had said it several times in different ways: she was afraid of hurting and being hurt, and she wouldn't get to anywhere before she dealt with that problem.

"Hina-chan."

"Eh?"

"Well, I'm…you know, a child, and I'm not smart like Shiki-sensei, so I really can't help others……I mean, I can barely help myself! But I'm trying, you know! I'm trying to become stronger so I can help people if they need me, because, well, I think that's part of being a ninja…….ugh, I forgot what I wanted to say…..ah, yes!"

Hinata blushed when she noticed Naruto was blushing. He moved as close to Hinata as it was possible without feeling uncomfortable. Unfortunately for Hinata, that was a bit too close for her.

"I don't know many things, but there's something I know, so I'll tell you."

"Wha……what is it?"

Naruto's face had displayed a kaleidoscope of emotions that morning. The last face he used for Hinata was a face she would come to see many more times after that day, but in entirely different situations. It was the face he wore when he fought for his life; the face he wore when he challenged all odds. It was an expression that reeked willpower, determination, confidence and a mild dose of resignation; a face of total abandon.

The face of someone who gave it his all.

"If you don't believe in yourself………if you don't really believe you can be really strong………then hard work will not help you, Hina-chan. If you are not ready to give it everything you've got……then it's like you already lost."

Hinata felt a sudden ache in her chest. She knew exactly what it was: the weight of her failure as a person. However, in the presence of Naruto's calm smile, the ache wasn't so terrible. If anything, it only encouraged her to be more and more like him: determinate, confident, strong-willed, ready to stand up despite failure. She knew her father would approve of her if she were a bit more like that. The elders……who cares about them?

Naruto couldn't react in time, so he only felt the weight of Hinata's body pushing against his. He couldn't have seen her face even if he had real eyes, for it was buried in his chest as she cried a river.

"You cry too much, Hina-chan……" He muttered after a long sigh.

* * *

Twenty yards away, concealed behind a tree, Saya watched the scene with warm eyes and a proud smile. She had arrived in time to wonder just where in the world Naruto learned the word "hypochondriac."

_Your girl is quite the case, Himeko………but I guess I am partially at fault, too.__ Sorry._

Saya sighed. _Haaa……might as well get started………I swear, the things I do for a friend…………_

She was looking at Naruto's back, but that didn't stop the boy from noticing her as soon as she got within range of _**Senrigan**_.

"Saya-neechan." He welcomed her without even looking at her. He could already recognize her familiar shape, and her scent confirmed her identity.

_Perfect all-around perception……he even has __**Byakugan**__ beaten on that………_

Hinata was, of course, startled by the new presence. At first glance, her first impression of Saya was that of a pretty and elegant young woman. But, while Saya's shapely legs barely covered by the loose ends of her cheongsam were the only real eye-catching feature of her body, the incredible purple cheongsam with images of multi-colored butterflies had to be the most beautiful thing Hinata had ever seen.

"It's been such a long time since I last saw you, Hyuuga Hinata-chan."

Hinata slowly let go of Naruto. The surprise of Saya's appearance got read of the immediate urge to cry. She was actually quite embarrassed.

"E-Excuse me……do I know you?"

Saya smiled gently and Hinata blushed in response. She wasn't called "Saya of the Healing Smile" for no reason.

"No, but I do know you. The last time I saw you was the day your sister was born………the day Himeko passed away."

Hinata would have been more affected by Saya's words if her attention weren't fixed on the look of sheer hurt on Saya's face. It was regret mixed with sadness mixed with guilt. But the pained expression quickly disappeared to be replaced with Saya's gentle smile. The woman sat down to Hinata's left, making a triangle with the two children. Hinata blushed even more when Saya took her left hand.

"Let me tell you about your mother, Hinata-chan."

Hinata only nodded. She wasn't confident in her vocal chords. Saya also squeezed Naruto's right leg and shot him a look so that, even if he couldn't see her face, he could tell she was looking at him and wanted him to be quiet and listen.

"Your mother……I was proud to call her my best friend. You know, I'm not much of a good friend. I mean, I rarely visited her. Most of the time she was the one who came here. She was also my favorite student! A lot nicer than that obnoxious big-breasted blonde………"

"A-Ano……student? I thought mom wasn't a kunoichi……"

"Neither am I………no, she wasn't; which is rather amusing, because she was a genius of Taijutsu. Few people knew of your mother's immense hidden talent: only your father, the Third and Fourth Hokages and the few who saw her in action during the last Great Shinobi War and the Leaf-Cloud conflict. But let me tell you this, girl: I might not be too far from the truth when I say she could have been the greatest fighter in the history of the Hyuuga Clan."

Naruto was stunned. Hinata's mother was **that badass**!? You'd never imagine it by looking at her daughter. Hinata had a similar opinion. Her few memories of her mother were of a kind, tender, peace-loving woman who liked flowers, herbs and singing; a woman dressed in a kimono who would never hurt a living being.

"Mom……my mom……fought?"

"Himeko was very strong, Hinata-chan. Of course she was: I taught her! But, you know what the funny thing is?"

Hinata and Naruto shook their heads.

"Her _**Jyuuken **_wasn't anything out of the ordinary. In fact, most Hyuugas would say it was lacking. That's one of the reasons she kept her abilities hidden from most people. The clan wouldn't have liked to know that one of their peers was using Taijutsu styles other than their prized _**Jyuuken**_."

Saya held the urge to laugh at the look on Hinata's face.

"Yes, girl, Himeko was like that. She was amazing. She absorbed every single style I taught her. She mastered _**Hakkeshou**_, including the unorthodox katas beyond the canon 448. Then she learned four other Taijutsu styles and mastered them in record time. She was insane, I tell you. Nothing satisfied her. She was even more of a Taijutsu addict than me. You see, mastering the styles wasn't enough for her. She developed new techniques and mixed the styles to create crazy new forms of her own. At some point before I could even notice, she had also improved her _**Jyuuken**_,but I think your father helped her with that. Before she died she was working on mixing all those styles with _**Jyuuken**_ to create more advanced Taijutsu techniques. She was incredible, I tell you."

_Yet it wasn't enough………_

"Damn, Hina-chan, your mom kicked ass!"

"What he said." Saya added. She gently held Hinata's head with her right hand under the girl's chin, and olive eyes met pupil-less orbs.

"Your mother was a great person. Beyond our common love for Taijutsu, I grew fond of her because of her kindness, her purity and the sheer love and devotion she put into absolutely everything she did. She was respectful but firm……sometimes she got a little too cocky in battle, though." Saya grinned as the memory of a scowling Himeko with her face soiled with dirt and grime intruded in her mind. "She adored your father, but she didn't take any crap from him. She was a woman who loved life and she enjoyed every second of it. She was a good woman; a strong woman who was willing to fight and die to protect the family and the village that was so dear to her."

Saya's hand slowly caressed the soft skin of Hinata's left cheek.

"Hinata-chan, there are times when even the nicest, most peaceful person is willing to fight. There are no good fights, but there are many good reasons to fight. Rejecting violence is acceptable and even commendable, but refusing to fight to protect those who are important to you makes you a failure of a human being. Your mother was the kindest person I've met, but even she would have been more than willing to kill in cold blood if it meant protecting you, your sister or your father. It would be beautiful if people never had to fight at all, but the world isn't perfect, right, Hinata-chan?"

Hinata nodded slowly, unable to argue against Saya's words. In fact, she already knew most of those things (she was still surprised of the notion of her mother being a Taijutsu genius, though). It wasn't ignorance that hindered her. It was plain fear.

"Alright, Hinata-chan. If you are so afraid of hurting Naruto, try sparring with me."

Saya had already stood up and walked a few steps away when Hinata finally reacted. Naruto had widened his "eyes." He groaned when he realized he couldn't use his patented puppy dog eyes anymore. _Not having eyes sucks……_

"Eh? N-no!"

"Why not? You practice _**Jyuuken**_ with Hiashi-kun, don't you?"

Hinata blinked. That was the first time she heard someone addressing her father as "Hiashi-kun."

"Ye-yes, but……"

"Have you ever hurt your father during practice?"

"Of course not!"

"There you go. I'm better than your father. Hence, there is absolutely no chance of you hurting me……unless you are incredibly lucky and I make an incredibly stupid mistake. Even better, I'll let Naruto help you."

"ALRIGHT!!!"

"Not that he'll be much help, though."

"HEY!!!"

Once again, Hinata found herself being pulled up by Naruto's strong arms. "Alright, Hina-chan, let's do this!"

"Bu-but……"

Naruto focused his gaze on Saya. Hinata bit her lip at the visage of his face that showed steely determination. She wanted to have that face, too!!!

"Show me that you really want to become strong."

Hinata blinked and her eyes widened a little. Was that it? Was that what he wanted? Was that what he had been expecting from her?

"You and I……we want the same things, Hina-chan……" Naruto was standing to her right, and he offered his left hand to her.

"……let's work together and get those things together."

"Let's become strong. Together."

_Together._

She wasn't alone anymore. She understood. He would be what she wanted him to be: her support. In exchange, she would help him accomplish whatever he wanted. She didn't want to be the selfish girl Naruto had claimed she was. He was offering her so much; it was only fair she did the same.

For the first time, Hinata didn't hesitate. She took his hand and repeated his exact words. "Let's become strong, together."

Naruto offered her his best smile. "Nice to meet you, Hina-chan."

"The pleasure is mine, Naruto-kun."

And a new legend of Hourai began.

* * *

"_**Byakugan**_!!" Making a hand seal, Hinata activated her bloodline limit.

"_**Senrigan**_, don't fail me now!" Making four hand seals, Naruto decreased the range of his limited vision, using the spare chakra to increase the definition. He still saw nothing but white shapes, but they were more detailed. At the right angles, Naruto could distinguish the shape of Saya's and Hinata's noses, as well as their individual fingers.

As one, they shifted to identical combat stances. When it comes to stances, katas and strike forms, _**Jyuuken **_and _**Hakkeshou**_ are virtually identical. _**Jyuuken**_ used the fingers a lot more, instead of _**Hakkeshou's **_obsession with palm strikes. And, of course, the vital difference of _**Jyuuken's**_ use of chakra to strike at the inner coils of the opponent's chakra circulatory system and by extension at the internal organs.

"Hina-chan, don't be afraid to go with everything you have."

"Um……everything I have isn't really that much, Naruto-kun…"

"The more reason to use it! You at least have that badass _**Jyuuken**_ style!"

Saya was tapping her foot in fake impatience. "So? I'm waiting!"

Naruto growled. "She doesn't even assume a stance……let's do this, Hina-chan!"

"Ah, hai?"

Naruto burst into motion, followed by little Hinata a second later. Saya only shook her head at the blatant difference between Naruto's recklessness and Hinata's uncertainty.

He began with a palm thrust at her chest using his left hand. Saya easily caught the offending arm by the wrist. Naruto didn't waste time and tried another palm thrust with his free hand. Hinata slid by Naruto's left side to try a _**Jyuuken **_strike at Saya's right leg. Saya caught Naruto's other arm at the same time she sidestepped to her left, leaving Hinata to whiz past her with outstretched hand striking nothing but air.

"That was just sad, Naruto. Hinata: good planning, awful execution. Catch!"

Next thing Hinata knew, she felt her lungs being emptied as Naruto's bigger and heavier body slammed her, the two children rolling on the grass like discarded dolls.

"Children, you are a team. Work together! At this rate you won't even make me take a stance."

Naruto growled as he helped a whining Hinata get up.

"So-sorry……"

"It's okay………"

"You really aren't any good, Hina-chan."

Hinata actually narrowed her gaze a bit. "You aren't that good either, Naruto-kun."

Saya laughed. "Ha, so the girl's actually got some spunk! Good, good, there's hope. Come!"

The two younglings looked at each other. "Can you move faster?" Naruto inquired. Hinata simply shrugged and resumed the fray, closely followed by Naruto.

Saya watched with a narrow gaze how Naruto added an extra burst of speed to his approach to catch up to Hinata from her right. Hinata's right shoulder rubbed Naruto's left when the two struck with mirrored palm strikes. Saya's two hands easily caught the two hands, making sure to push a little chakra through her right hand to counter Hinata's chakra-infused thrust. Taking a page from Naruto's book, Hinata decided to try something unorthodox, spinning clockwise as she lowered her body to try a sweeping kick with her right leg to try to make Saya trip. At the same time, Naruto leapt up for a flying right leg kick at Saya's head. The Taijutsu Goddess made a single step backwards and watched the tip of Naruto's foot slice the air in front of her.

Aware of her miss, Hinata quickly stomped the ground with the same foot she had used to strike, using it as well as her arms to make a partial mule kick with her left foot. Naruto was too busy steadying his fall and was too inexperienced to try another attack. Saya easily caught Hinata's leg.

"Better, but not good en-"

Hinata surprised the older lady by making a very swift and wide chop with her left hand infused with chakra. Saya leapt backwards to make some distance, allowing Hinata to regain her footing. Her surprise soon changed to great pleasure.

"Good, good! Adaptability, flexibility, variation! Show me more!"

She didn't have to say anything else. Naruto was already going at her with almost animalistic abandon. He tried a right palm thrust at her stomach, but Saya again caught it with ridiculous ease. Naruto spun counterclockwise, standing with his back to Saya as he tried an elbow thrust, only to cry pathetically when Saya slammed her right knee on his lower back.

"Showing your back to the opponent? Terrible idea. You're still too slow to do such a thing."

"Shut up!" Naruto tried reaching for Saya's head with his free arm, but Saya only leaned her head back and pushed Naruto away from her. Hinata didn't even slow her approach, dashing past Naruto as she, too, went at Saya, who welcomed her with a devilish grin.

Hinata, too, tried a right palm thrust. Saya easily parried with her left hand. Hinata sidestepped to her right and slid her left arm under Saya's outstretched left arm to try a low thrust at Saya's abdomen. Saya parried again with her other hand and attacked with a roundhouse kick. Hinata ducked and tried an upwards thrust to get the offending leg, but Saya proved to be a lot faster. Hinata pushed forward with the fingers of her right hand. Saya was still standing on one foot (the left). She spun clockwise like a ballerina and Hinata passed by Saya's right side. The taller female went with a karate chop at the right side of Hinata's neck, but the small girl in blue showed decent reflexes by retracting her striking right arm and using it to parry the blow. Saya tried a knee kick with her right leg. Hinata, instead of jumping backwards, caught the offending leg with her two tiny hands and used them as leverage to lift herself above it and attempt a kick at Saya's head.

"Nice!" Saya exclaimed joyfully as her two arms blocked Hinata's leg. But the Hyuuga heiress wasn't done. Resting the attacking leg on Saya's left shoulder, Hinata shifted her body upside down, charging both hands with chakra to deal a powerful _**Jyuuken **_blow to Saya's stomach.

_Shit!!! _This was Saya's only thought as she hastily made hand seals.

"Eh?" Hinata was left startled when she realized the Saya she had hit had been replaced by a log of all things. Naruto, who had been watching the whole scene with unconcealed awe, warned Hinata of the incoming danger.

"Hina-chan! Behind you!"

Unfortunately, Hinata was still falling, and she was unable to defend herself against Saya's own thrusting attack with both palms.

"_**Shousouda!!!**_"

Saya's technique released a burst of raw chakra from her palms which exploded until it became a chaotic sphere of bluish light that surrounded both Saya and Hinata. The young Hyuuga cried in pain as the wisps of chakra lashed at her back like terrible whips that cut her clothes and left three stinging gashes on her skin. The spinning chakra dissipated in one last strong burst that knocked the girl away, sending her stumbling and rolling on the grass for at least seven yards.

"Hina-chan!!!" Naruto hurried to Hinata's fallen side. Unable to see the wounds, Naruto had to rely on whatever she could tell him. "Are you hurt?"

Hinata, meanwhile, failed to hold back her tears. Her back felt like it was on fire. "It hurts……"

"Saya-neechan!!!" Naruto barked. "That was too much-eh?" Saya wasn't where they had left her.

"Was it really?"

Naruto and Hinata jerked their heads to look at the Taijutsu Master who was kneeling behind Hinata, already applying her healing chakra to the wounds.

"Those were some really nice moves, Hinata-chan."

"Ah…..aah……thank you very much……" Truthfully, Hinata was exhilarated. She had never moved like that in her life! She simply tried to do things a bit more like she thought Naruto would and her _**Jyuuken**_ flowed in a completely different way. She sighed contently while she let the warm feeling of Saya's healing hands inflame her and soothe her as the pain quickly disappeared and the wounds closed.

"Yeah! That was really, really, cool! I liked it!" Naruto agreed with his sensei. "OW! Ow, ow, ow, Saya-neechan!!!"

Saya glared at her blond charge while she pulled his left ear. "And you, little guy, you were too busy staring! Your performance was quite disappointing."

"Well, you haven't really taught me a thing!"

"True, but even then your movements were very stiff. So, want to give it another shot?" Saya inquired as she stretched her body.

Naruto looked at Hinata, and she knew it was up to her.

_My chest hurts a bit……my heart beats so fast……I feel so……weird……but it's a good weird! I want to feel this a while longer!_

"Shall we, Naruto-kun?"

Naruto's smirk pleased her and scared her at the same time. "Let's go, Hina-chan."

Saya was ecstatic and she showed it by smashing her fists together. "Alright, bring it on, kids!!! **SHANNARO!!!!!**"

Complete silence ensued. A soft, cool breeze toyed with the hairs of the three. Hinata looked at Naruto with a face that would made Naruto melt had he been able to see it.

"Naruto-kun, I'm scared."

"Me too. Hold me. Really, what the hell was that?"

"OH, SHUT UP, YOU IDIOTS!!!" Saya yelled with mock anger, amused at Hinata's blushing response to Naruto's words. It brought back fun memories.

* * *

It was the beginning of a new day at the Hyuuga household. Once again, Hiashi and his eldest daughter ate breakfast in silence. However, Hiashi's relaxed demeanor as he ate and read the reports on recent village events concealed a secondary purpose. Hiashi was paying more attention to his daughter than to the report on the rise of prices of produce hailing from Vegetable Country.

As expected, the clan gathering the night before occurred flawlessly. Hinata……well, she was the usual Hinata……well, not really.

_She'll grow up to look just like her mother………_

Yes, Hiashi couldn't look at her without summoning memories both beautiful and tragic of the woman he loved. It was one of the reasons he reluctantly kept his distance from Hinata after Himeko died. The worst part of him hated Hinata for reminding him of his two immense losses: his brother and his wife. The other part of him wanted to apologize for not being a proper father. The worst part of him excused itself claiming that he would treat her better if she didn't disappoint him. The rest of him wanted to encourage her to keep doing her best and assure her that success would eventually reach her.

There was also Hinata's request. She had returned from the Houraisan house in a hurry, rushing to get dressed and ready for the gathering, so she didn't have time to stop by his studio to comment on her day. During the gathering itself, Hiashi closely watched her, trying to see if a day with the Houraisan Clan had affected her in any way.

Holding the hand of an obviously bored Hanabi, Hinata calmly and gently engaged in conversation with whoever approached her, wearing that soft, gentle smile that reminded him of Himeko so very much. His daughter never initiated a conversation, preferring to make idle chat with her little sister in an attempt to keep her awake. Hiashi was pleased to see that Hinata didn't falter in the face of questioning……as long as he was dealing with a single individual. She still couldn't handle the combined pressure of a group who made her the center of attention. Unfortunately, he didn't have enough time to even share a few words with her or talk about her day at the Houraisan residence.

As expected, the elders were clearly dissatisfied by Hinata's behavior. But Hiashi could see underneath the underneath better than any other Hyuuga. No wonder he had greatly preferred active Shinobi duty over the dull routine of his current responsibilities as Clan Leader. Even the political game felt rather uninteresting those days. The excitement of the whole Uzumaki Naruto episode didn't last long. Most of the Clans simply acquiesced, accepting that there was no way to argue with the Hokage and no way to possibly manipulate the scenario with Naruto under the watchful gaze of the Houraisan "Clan." It was so interesting that a "Clan" that didn't even deserve the title, consisting of two individuals who weren't even registered as citizens of Konoha, could have any influence in Konoha affairs. Hiashi had to bow before Shiki and Saya for knowing how to play the political game. With their hold on the two greatest clans (Hyuuga and Uchiha) and their relationship (if at least by association) to several figures of note, they were almost untouchable. The key word here being "almost."

Naruto was a whole new variable. Before, they were a Clan disconnected from Konoha, living in Konoha territory under the protection of both the Hokage and Konoha Law. However, by taking Naruto under their wing, they established a connection with Konoha through the boy, a Konoha citizen. A very important Konoha citizen. Shrewd people could try to get to the Houraisan couple through Naruto. On the month following the attack on the young Uzumaki, Hiashi received an astounding number of reports regarding off-schedule emergency meetings within many clans, most particularly Kurama, Aburame and Uchiha. He guessed the Kurama were desperate to seek any possible way they could use this new situation to strengthen the clan in the slightest. Hiashi actually pitied them. He had absolutely no idea of what the Aburame Clan could possibly be thinking, or why they could have any interest in Naruto or the Houraisan Clan (he made a mental note to have his people inquire a bit further in any possible connections between the Houraisan couple and the bug users). He wasn't surprised by the Uchihas' reaction. They were just as desperate as the Kurama, only for different reasons. The Kuramas wanted power they severely lacked. The Uchihas' power is only second to their greed. No matter how much they have, they only want more. Hiashi sometimes mused that, if it were up to them, Konohagakure would be nothing but Uchihas.

In any other situation Hiashi would have ignored them. However, he **knew**.

Hiashi remembered the day as if it were yesterday. The day his father gave him the reins of the Clan. His first action as Clan Leader was greeting envoys from all the other clans. Boring routine. By the end of the day, he was tired and looking forward to a decent meal and some sleep, when the "leader of the Houraisan Clan" demanded an audience. It was far from the first time Hiashi dialogued with Shiki, and they were on decent terms. When both Shiki and Hiashi's own father insisted on the urgency of the meeting after Hiashi asked him to wait until the next day, Hiashi knew it was serious.

That night, Shiki revealed to him the most terrible and greatest secrets; truths that Shiki had only revealed to the Hyuuga Clan Leader for generations; secrets that two great clans of Konoha had concealed and forgotten until their existence became clouded in the misty haze of ancient times.

That night, Shiki revealed to him the origins of both _**Byakugan **_and _**Sharingan**_.

Hiashi's life was never the same. It explained a lot of things, though.

With that kind of history, it wasn't surprising that the Hyuuga and the Uchiha were destined to be rival clans. While he couldn't do anything about the history of his own clan, Hiashi couldn't stop himself from hating the accursed Uchihas and their crimson eyes. He knew it was a pointless hatred; there was no point in feeding old flames, but he simply couldn't stop himself. Besides, as long as only the Main Family knew the story, the Hyuuga Clan could be controlled.

The "official" reason behind the Curse Seal and the division into Main and Branch Families was the protection of the Bloodline Limit, _**Byakugan**_. However, any person who put some thought into it could realize that made little sense. After all, if that were the case, every single Hyuuga should carry the Curse Seal. Any Hyuuga could end up kidnapped or killed by those who are after powerful bloodlines. If the Curse Seal can destroy the eyes and the brain, effectively impeding the Clan's bloodline and secrets to reach the wrong hands, then why doesn't every Hyuuga carry it?

Shiki told him that the Curse Seal wasn't created for the Main Family to rule over the Branch Family. It was made to **establish the existence of Main and Branch Families**. In other words, the Curse Seal didn't exist because of the existence of Main and Branch Families. It was **the reason they exist**.

Those known as "The Main Family" would be the guardians and protectors of the secret of the history of the Hyuuga Clan and their Bloodline Limit. They were meant to be a cloistered group that would protect the secret and, by extension, protect the clan itself. If the history of the Hyuugas became public knowledge, even throughout the clan only, it could be catastrophic. Hence the need for secrecy. If anyone outside of the Main Family somehow learned the secret, the Curse Seal would kill the person before it became too late. Shiki told him the clan had even resorted at times to assassinating archaeologists or historians who were getting a bit too close to the truth. The fact than only one or two (three at most) people per generation (plus Shiki and Saya) knew these secrets ensured the survival of the Hyuuga Clan.

Unfortunately, the Curse Seal slowly degraded into a tool to control and manipulate those branded with it, which led to the current history of the clan. The only good thing that came from this was that it reinforced the position of "Clan Leader" even above that of the "Council of Elders," better ensuring the safety of the clan secrets.

Hiashi could understand that Shiki knew everything about the birth of _**Byakugan**_. After all, he was one of the main characters in that story. A greater shock hit him when he asked Shiki how he knew so many secrets about the inner workings of the Hyuuga Clan.

"Isn't it obvious, Hiashi?"

The sad, cold smile Shiki showed him in that moment chilled Hiashi to the very core of his soul.

"I invented the Curse Seal, Hiashi. I came up with the idea of Main and Branch Families. At that time, your ancestors were divided and in constant strife, with those who wanted to use _**Byakugan**_ as a means to gain even more power clashing against those who disagreed with the very existence of _**Byakugan**_ but accepted it with resignation and preferred to act with moderation. The way things were going, the Hyuugas were about to erase themselves from the face of this world with their inner war. It wasn't the best idea and I regret it to this day, but it allowed your clan to **live **and **thrive**."

Shiki even apologized for the existence of the horrible Curse Seal.

"As much as I'd like the Curse Seal to disappear, it is necessary. Before the Curse Seal can go, the Clan as a whole must change. Do you understand now, Hiashi, why Saya and I live in Konoha of all places? It's to keep an eye on you Hyuugas……and on the Uchihas too, I guess. To make sure your powers……and your secrets, do not go out of hand."

Hiashi definitely understood. It was a very subtle form of blackmail. The Main Family was one of the Houraisan Clan's sources of income, after all.

After a long night of secrets and explanations, Hiashi accepted his responsibilities as Clan Leader, protector of history, enemy of Uchiha and ally of Houraisan. He could control the Hyuuga Clan, he was sure of it. Unfortunately, he couldn't do the same with the Uchiha. When he told this to Shiki, the elder man simply shrugged and sighed.

"The Uchiha Clan was, is and will always be a problem, until the end of their days. Knowing my luck, they'll cause trouble even after disappearing. We still don't know what happened to Uchiha Madara. The guy simply vanished, and that's just bad news. In any case, as long as they don't even think of trying to return to their old ways as a means to gain more power, we're relatively safe."

And that was precisely the problem. With a demon vessel in Konoha, Hiashi found it hard to believe the Uchiha Clan hadn't considered using him in some way to at the very least strengthen their Bloodline Limit. If they had known of the Fourth Hokage's plans, Hiashi wouldn't have been surprised if they had eagerly offered one of their newborns to become the vessel of the Nine Tails. He didn't really think the Uchiha Clan was a den of evil or something. However, they were ambitious, and sometimes ambition can go too far. Their very existence was proof of it.

In a way, it would have been a better idea to let Naruto die, if only to keep the Uchihas from getting their hands on him. However, the risk of Naruto's death releasing the demon was too big to ignore, as well as the intrinsic opportunity Naruto represented. Hiashi had considered the idea of the Uchihas actually staging the attack on Naruto only to save him and gain his favor, but he quickly discarded that idea. Fugaku had seemed honestly surprised during the Konoha Council meeting with the Third Hokage, and no amount of good acting could escape Hiashi's eyes. It wasn't the Uchihas. Besides, it was a very risky plan, and Fugaku wasn't the kind of person that takes such risks.

He was bothered by a report that claimed that Fugaku's children had apparently befriended the Jinchuuriki since the attack. He didn't think the youngest one, Sasuke, could harbor any hidden intentions, but Itachi was a wholly different matter.

Maybe the Uchiha Clan had devised a course of action in those off-schedule reunions of theirs. Maybe they were already on the move and Hiashi didn't know. Maybe Itachi had some hidden agenda………

_What to do, what to do………maybe, if I use Hinata………_

"Father."

At some point, Hiashi had stopped paying attention to his daughter to lose himself in the convoluted web of power games that revolved around one Uzumaki Naruto. She had already finished her meal. Hiashi glanced at her entwined hands resting on the low table, her perfect posture and the surprisingly serious expression on her lovely young face.

"Yes?"

Hinata's eyes scanned around the room nervously. "……are we **alone**?"

Hiashi's eyes widened a bit. He knew exactly what Hinata meant. The way she had expressed those words couldn't mean anything else. The surprising thing was that Hinata **knew. **She wasn't supposed to know that until her twelfth birthday.

Hiashi was thinking about the complex network of privacy seals that protected the Hyuuga household; so complete and so effective that not even the Hokage Tower could hope to match it. The privacy seals protected each and every single room to a level according to the room's relevance.

With a short sequence of hand seals, Hiashi protected the dining room from unwanted ears and eyes. Not even _**Byakugan**_ could see past a warded area. In addition, the sliding doors stuck to their frames with a thin layer of chakra. This explains why the Hyuugas don't have locks.

Why wait until Hinata's twelfth birthday to reveal this to her? Because that's the approximate age at which she would start to demand some privacy. As simple as that.

"Now we are." Hiashi declared before taking a sip of his morning tea. Hinata nodded.

"Did Shiki tell you?" Hiashi only used the "-sama" honorific when in front of the couple.

"Yes, father."

Hiashi considered a horrendous possibility. "………did he tell you anything else?"

"……not really. I didn't have the opportunity to talk with him for long. I did join Naruto-ku……Uzumaki Naruto-san's afternoon lesson with Houraisan-sama."

"What were the contents of his lesson?" Hiashi ignored, but acknowledged, Hinata's slip of her tongue. _Take that, Fugaku!_

"He spoke of the importance of deception for a ninja."

Hiashi didn't need his special eyes. He read Hinata's posture, expression and voice. He saw underneath the underneath and he understood the meaning hidden behind his daughter's words.

This discovery pleased him immensely.

"……anything else you wanted to tell me?" Hiashi took a sip of his tea.

"Father, Houraisan Saya-sama has offered me to study Taijutsu under her tutelage."

Hinata could have told him she had mastered all the advanced _**Jyuuken **_techniques and developed four new ones and she would have accomplished a similar effect. Hinata had to resist the urge to react in any way to the sight of her father choking on his tea. She decided against asking about his wellbeing and Hiashi silently thanked her for it. He had a reputation to protect. He was also thankful for the privacy seals.

Hiashi wondered if Hinata was even aware of the true weight of her words. Every single person with renowned Taijutsu skills in Konoha…no, in all the Elemental Countries, was directly or indirectly associated in some way to Houraisan Saya, the Heavenly Goddess of Taijutsu. Everyone knows that the First Hokage was the only person Saya taught the basics of her signature "Immortal Dragon of Houraisan" style. Everyone knows Tsunade learned the basics of her medical arts and her super-strength Taijutsu from Saya. Everyone knows Saya taught Maito Gai how to open the Initial Gate. Only he and his father know that Saya was the one who taught _**Hakkeshou**_ to the first generations of Hyuuga and cemented the basics that would lead to the birth and development of _**Jyuuken**_. Only he knows that Saya was the person who discovered one Hyuuga Himeko and turned her into the greatest exponent of Taijutsu in recent times.

Saya wasn't just a Taijutsu Master. She was the (living?) embodiment of the history of Taijutsu! And she wanted to teach **Hinata**! **His Hinata!!!**

………_t__aking a line from Saya's book, what the fuck!?_

"………really?" Hiashi deserves some credit for hiding his emotions so well.

Hinata nodded. "Yes, I was surprised, too." Apparently, not well enough. "I even told her of……my……lack of……talent when _**Jyuuken**_ is concerned."

For a moment, Hiashi had a mental image of himself strangling his little daughter and screaming: "You **don't** tell Saya-sama you have **no talent!!! **You **SHUT UP AND LET HER TEACH YOU!!!!!**"

"She said that was of no importance. She said that, if I am no good at _**Jyuuken**_, there are many other styles I could learn. After we sparred, she said……she said I do have talent………" Hinata lowered her face in Hinata-ish fashion and blushed. "……she said I reminded her of Mother………"

It took a while for Hiashi to react. He was sure he had an aneurism or something. That was too much shocking information, even for him.

_One thing at a time, Hiashi……_

"Did you say you sparred? You sparred with Saya?"

Hinata nodded. "Yes. For a good portion of the morning. Naru……Naruto-san participated, too. It was very……enlightening. Saya-sama is incredibly skilled. The way she moves……I don't have words to describe it."

"Yes……yes, she's quite skilled." Hiashi had seen Saya fight before. He had a very good idea of what Hinata was trying to say. "And she said……"

Hinata blushed again. "She……Saya-sama said I move like Mother………"

Hiashi tried not to frown. He had practiced plenty of times with Hinata and his little girl had never moved in any way close to the way Himeko fought. Himeko was elegant but unpredictable, fluid but wild, gracious but violent, all at the same time. It was basically a lesser version of Saya. It was understandable: Himeko didn't have nearly as much combat experience as the Taijutsu Goddess. Besides, Himeko leaned closer to the elegant, fluid and gracious side, while Saya was closer to unpredictable, wild and violent.

That could only mean one of two things: either Saya was exaggerating Hinata's abilities to help her self-esteem, or Saya had in one morning unveiled a hidden talent Hiashi couldn't find in his daughter. As her father, he honestly hoped it was the second.

_Well, Saya is definitely a better teacher than I, so it's not impossible………_

At the same time, Hinata was thinking among the same lines. She had been considering Saya's proposal since the moment she left the Houraisan Grounds. It was the reason she actually managed to not get sleepy during the "party." Her mind was in turmoil.

She had left the house elated. A Taijutsu Master had said she had talent and she even offered to teach her! Also, she had made a new wonderful friend in Naruto-kun! Even Shiki's lesson triggered something within her and gave her an amazing idea! It was as if he had made that lecture on purpose!

But, as expected, her insecurities kicked in and made her doubt the veracity of their words. She had been amazed by the way she fought, but she had done nothing but watch Naruto and try to move like him. Saya had spoken of "flexibility and variation" and apparently Naruto was very good at it (it was also the only thing he seemed to be good at concerning Taijutsu), so she tried to mimic him somehow. Did that mean Naruto moves like her mother once did, or did she somehow do something that caught Saya's attention?

In the end, it was a matter of what she truly wanted. Did she want to train with Saya? She still remembered her words.

"_Hinata-chan, if you let me teach you, I can teach __you all the Taijutsu you could possibly imagine, just like I taught your mother. However, you'll have to work on your attitude, because it will be tough. VERY tough. BEYOND tough. You will feel pain. You will cry. You will hate me. You'll wish you'd rather be dead. Your father's training will feel like hugs and kisses compared to what I'll make you go through. I'm a good teacher, but I'm a harsh teacher, too. What I'm doing with Naruto? That's not even training. My real training for Naruto has yet to begin. It will be difficult, very difficult, but I promise you that, if you persevere, if you keep in mind why you want to grow and become strong, I promise you it will be worth it. Because there are few feelings better than the realization that you have become a strong, confident person."_

After those words, Hinata almost felt her resolve waver. Fortunately, just like she had expected, Naruto was her salvation, her panacea.

"_Let's become strong. Together."_

They had talked a lot more about this. Hinata was amused and touched by Naruto's extensive (and childish) thinking. Apparently, they were going to "watch each other's backs" and become "badass ninja" so that they would "kick ass together." And, for some reason, it would be "fun as hell."

While Naruto's wording made little sense to her, she found her imagination running wild, and she realized she wanted to be a part of that dream. She wanted to see Naruto become strong, for she knew she would grow alongside him. Then he would do……whatever he wanted to do and she would take over the Hyuuga Clan.

"Hence, I wanted to request permission to go to the Houraisan compound for training every afternoon once classes are over at the Academy."

Hiashi nodded. "And your lessons here?"

While Hinata would have preferred to cancel the _**Jyuuken**_ training altogether, she knew her father would never approve of it.

"I was considering moving the _**Jyuuken **_training to the early mornings, before I leave to class. That is, if Father does not mind. As for my private lessons, I am willing to study intensively on the weekends." If she was willing to go through hell with Saya, she might as well go all the way.

_It's worth it._ Her mind repeated as a mantra.

Hiashi nodded approvingly, even going as far as to acknowledge his daughter's initiative with a subtle smile. There was no doubt in his mind that he would allow Hinata to undergo this training. Even if she didn't succeed and Saya eventually dropped it, he hoped it would have an effect on Hinata's personality and growth as a potential future Clan Leader. Of course, if Hinata actually succeeded and became Saya's fully-fledged Taijutsu apprentice, he would be more than proud. Not only that: Hinata would be able to watch Naruto for him and by befriending him she might keep him away from any possible Uchiha influence.

He had Naruto's favor. Hinata had Saya's favor. He had gained an advantage over the rest of the clans in front of the Hokage.

All in all, after two terrible and heart-wrenching personal losses, things were finally turning quite good for Hyuuga Hiashi. His thoughts couldn't be clearer.

………_I win at life._

* * *

**Author's Notes:** Hiashi rules. Period.

Okay, so……comments. Well, this chapter had my first attempts at writing combat scenes (Naruto and Sasuke do not count; they're still children brawling, basically). I hope you enjoyed it.

I actually liked the dream scene with Saya and Himeko. I liked it a lot. It always worries me when I make scenes involving nothing but OCs, because I'm aware most readers aren't fond of them. I'm looking forward to your comments on this.

It actually felt quite good writing the Naruto-bashes-Hinata scene. Hinata's role in the original Naruto manga is so minimal it's not even funny. Of course, with her personality and skills, there isn't much she can contribute to the story. That's why I'm going to make a Hinata that can actually be useful and interesting. She'll be an even greater political player than she is in canon, and she'll also be able to handle herself in missions and the overall action element of Naruto's story. Besides, it's quite obvious by now (and the chapter's title helps) that Naruto and Hinata will be the new Shiki and Saya. Before you ask, that doesn't mean they're already a couple or something. Like I said before, I'm not thinking about romance yet (they're 7!!!). I'm establishing connections, of course, so that when I actually start adding romance elements it doesn't feel they came from out of nowhere.

Many people have asked about the Uchiha Massacre. I had a pretty good idea of what to do with that. Now, after reading the manga and what I've written so far, I'm having doubts again. It's all Itachi's fault! He's too awesome! I mean, badass-villain-Itachi is awesome, but stays-in-Konoha-Itachi could be pretty cool, too! For example, can you imagine Itachi as Naruto's Jounin sensei? Most missions would be ridiculously easy for that team, though. Anyway, I still have one more chapter before I have to reach a decision, so let's see what happens.

I also have to put some thought into the Tailed Beasts……unlike Kishimoto, I'd actually like to cover all nine of them.

Anyway, next chapter! I'll stop making promises I can't keep. Hmm, what can I say……?

With the advent of a new year, Naruto's training enters a new stage. The difficulty raises a notch when Saya starts getting a bit more serious, and Naruto's _**Senrigan **_training progresses so slowly it's frustrating. Fortunately, Naruto's new training partner is good enough to offer an idea or two. Also, Naruto visits the Hyuuga Clan Grounds for the first time and, of course, wreaks some havoc, as well as becoming a very bad influence to a very young and very impressionable Hyuuga Hanabi. At the same time, Hinata discovers that her new friend Naruto-kun is not a golden god of determination. He's a human who makes mistakes, a human who doubts, a human who often does and says stupid things and, most important of all, a human with insecurities and uncertainties……just like herself.

Oh, and Itachi will show up at some point. Other than that, I don't know.

* * *

**Narutionary**** (Well, what can I say, the name stuck!)**

_**Byakugan **_(白眼): White Eyes. Check Chapter 06 (_**Phantasmagoria**_, Chapter 03).

**Calendar: **For the sake of this fic, I'll use both the common names and the traditional Japanese names for the months. They're easily interchangeable, so there's no problem.

January - 睦月 _mutsuki_, Affection Month

February - 如月 or 衣更着 _kisaragi_, More Clothes Month

March - 弥生 _yayoi_, Sprouting Month

April - 卯月 _uzuki_, Deutzia Month

May - 皐月 _satsuki_, Planting Month

June - 水無月 _minazuki_, Waterless Month

July - 文月 _fuzuki_, Book Month

August - 葉月 _hazuki_, Leaf Month

September - 長月 _nagatsuki_, Long-lasting Month

October - 神無月 _kannazuki_, Godless Month

November - 霜月 _shimotsuki_, Frost Month

December - 師走 _shiwasu_, Priest-running Month

_**Fuuinjutsu **_(封印術): Sealing Techniques. The textbook definition is "techniques that seal one thing within another thing." Seal Master Houraisan Shiki laughs at this sentence and defines _**Fuuinjutsu **_as "the Art of manipulating one or more properties of an entity definable within a bounded field." Don't ask what that means, I'm just the writer.

_**Hakkeshou **_(八卦掌): Eight Trigrams Palm. Check Chapter 06 (_**Phantasmagoria**_, Chapter 03).

_**Houraisan no Fukyuu no Ryuu **_(蓬莱山の不朽の竜): Immortal Dragon of Houraisan. Check Chapter 06 (_**Phantasmagoria**_, Chapter 03).

_**Hypochondria **_(気欝症, _**Kyuutsushou**_): A somatoform disorder which refers to an excessive preoccupation or worry about having a serious illness. It is characterized by fears that minor bodily symptoms may indicate a serious illness, constant self-examination and self-diagnosis, a preoccupation with one's body and doubt and disbelief in the doctors' diagnosis.

_**Hyuuga Juin Jutsu **_(日向呪印術): Hyuuga Cursed Seal. A seal placed on the forehead of members of a Hyuuga Branch Family at a very early age. Its basic purpose is to seal the _**Byakugan **_ability when they die by destroying the carrier's brain cells, preventing an enemy to learn its secrets. It can be activated at will by Main House members through a special hand seal, causing immense pain or even death if kept active long enough. Only Hyuuga Clan Leaders know that the Curse Seal also works as a means to prevent dissemination of the truth about the history of the Hyuuga Bloodline Limit.

_**Jyuuken **_(柔拳): Gentle Fist. Check Chapter 06 (_**Phantasmagoria**_, Chapter 03).

_**Kekkei Genkai **_(血継限界): Blood Inheritance Limit, or Bloodline Limit for short. A special ability passed down genetically through a specific family which cannot be imitated or duplicated by any ordinary method. However, there are cases of Bloodlines being copied or acquired by genetic manipulation (like Yamato's/Tenzou's _**Mokuton**_) and organ transplantation (like Hatake Kakashi's _**Sharingan**_). Most Bloodline Limits are hundreds of years old and their origins have been forgotten or hidden by their owners. No cases of new Bloodline Limits appearing have been recorded in recent times.

_**Shannaro **_(しゃーんなろー): Literally "Shaannaroo." A popular phrase among Harunos, for some reason. It lacks a literal meaning, but it is used to express strong emotions of determination, frustration or disgust, among others. However, a little analysis of Haruno psychology shows that they only use this expression out loud if they are fully comfortable with their personality. It is rumored that Harunos that suppress their real emotions (and don't yell "Shannaro!!!" on a regular basis) might develop some form of Multiple Personality Disorder.

_**Sharingan**_ (写輪眼): Copy Wheel Eye. The Bloodline Limit of the Uchiha Clan………ugh, check Wikipedia or something. I'm not gonna bother with this.

* * *

**Jutsu List**

_**Doryuukoushou **_(土竜咬傷)

**Name: **Earth Dragon Bite

**Type:** Taijutsu, B-rank, Offensive, All ranges

**User:** Houraisan Saya, Hyuuga Himeko, Tsunade, Akimichi Chouza, Maito Gai, all Iwagakure Taijutsu specialists

**Future Users:** Akimichi Chouji

An intermediate technique from the _**Houraisan no Doryuu **_(Earth Dragon of Houraisan) Taijutsu style, the style most commonly taught in the Village Hidden in the Rocks. The user strikes the earth with an open palm, making the ground shake with his power. Immediately after, the ground underneath the target opens up beneath her feet to engulf and immobilize him, in a manner similar to _**Shinjuu Zanshu no Jutsu**_.

* * *

_**Fuuton: Fuujin Senrigan no Jutsu**_ (風遁: 風神千里眼の術)

**Name: **Wind Release: Wind God Clairvoyance Technique

**Type: **A-rank, Supplementary, all ranges

**User: **Uzumaki Naruto

**Future Users:** Houraisan Shiki, Hyuuga Hanabi

This is the jutsu Naruto developed and mastered to levels beyond our imagination. This is the jutsu that allowed Naruto to defeat the loss of his sight.

Naruto realized even the smallest eddy of air carries volumes of information. With this jutsu, Naruto can attune himself to the smallest variances in temperature and speed of the air around him, as well as vibrations echoing through the air, using the wind as his sight. He can operate almost perfectly as long as he is surrounded by air. In fact, his awareness is immense as his perception is extended to all 360 degrees. This three-dimensional perception makes Naruto difficult to surprise. He can "see" in any or all directions at once as desired, simultaneously perceiving the three-dimensional shape and exact location of all objects. _**Fuujin Senrigan's**_ range is only limited by Naruto's chakra capacity and control. Beyond the range defined by the chakra spent, objects and sounds blur together and have no coherent meaning. Darkness and environmental conditions impairing ordinary vision do not normally hinder the "vision" granted by this jutsu, although genjutsu and effects that muffle sound may create areas of murky vision.

Despite the obvious utility of this technique, the sense granted by it is not sight and cannot fully replace vision. The jutsu's limited form of thermography-like perception conveys colors, but cannot convey specific shades, making it practically impossible (or at least extremely difficult) to read or otherwise notice exclusively visual information. Naruto can recognize people and objects he has "viewed" with his "sight" previously, using his memory of profiles and surface contours.

* * *

_**Fuuton: Fuujin Tesabaki no Jutsu**_ (風遁: 風神手捌きの術, C-rank, Supplementary, Short to mid-range): The user can control and manipúlate objects from a distance by means of wind nature manipulation. It also grants instinctive awareness of the flow of air the user creates when he uses this technique.

* * *

_**Hakke Gurenkyaku **_(八卦紅蓮脚)

**Name: **Eight Trigrams Crimson Lotus Legs

**Type:** Taijutsu (Kinjutsu), B-rank, Offensive, Close range (0-5 m)

**User:** Houraisan Saya, Maito Gai

**Future Users:** ??????

A powerful high-speed technique that combines the fundamentals of both _**Gouken **_(Strong Fist) and _**Jyuken**_ (Gentle Fist). Use of the Celestial Gates is mandatory to achieve the necessary speed to perform the technique. After lifting the enemy high in the air by means of a kick (like the starter attack of Initial Lotus), _**Gurenkyaku **_consists of a series of eight powerful kicks aimed at the liver, lungs, spine, the first vertebrae, the yugular vein, the head, the kidneys and the heart, in that order. Besides the obvious powerful of these kicks at hyper-speed, the perfect execution of this technique also involves infusing the strikes with chakra, attacking the internal organs directly at the same time the kicks deal external damage (it should be obvious that Saya held back: she didn't want to kill Himeko, after all).

Normally, using this technique requires at least the opening of three of the eight Gates, which is the reason this technique has been labelled as forbidden. However, since Saya's natural speed is already greater than Gai's, she only needs the Initial Gate to perform _**Gurenkyaku **_flawlessly.

* * *

_**Hakke Rokujuuyonshou **_(八卦六十四掌, Hiden, No Rank, Offensive, Short range): Eight Trigrams Sixty-four Palms. This advanced _**Jyuuken **_technique rapidly strikes the opponents' _**tenketsu**_ (chakra points), effectively eliminating their ability to use chakra for some time, as well as dealing serious damage. The attack follows a sequence of two strikes, four, eight, sixteen, thirty-two and finally sixty-four strikes, hence the name.

* * *

_**Hakkeshou Kaiten **_(八卦掌回天, Hiden, No Rank, Defensive, Short range): Eight Trigrams Palm Heavenly Spin. The user releases a great amount of chakra from all his chakra points to block and attack, and then spins his body creating a spherical shield of chakra that parries any incoming attack and tosses any melee attackers away. It was originally devised to compensate for the minute blind spot of _**Byakugan**_.

* * *

_**Hiraishin no Jutsu **_(飛雷神の術, S-rank, Supplementary, All ranges): Flying Thunder God Technique. The Fourth Hokage's signature technique, which granted him the title of _**Konoha no Kiiroi Senko **_(Konoha's Yellow Flash). Instead of moving at incredibly high speed, the Fourth took it to a whole new level. After placing a Jutsu Formula (_**Jutsu Shiki**_) on a location, he could then **instantaneously **summon himself to that location. Additionally, it is noiseless and does not create the familiar puff of smoke that characterizes summoning and hyper-speed techniques, which allows for great stealth.

* * *

_**Kage Bunshin no Jutsu**_ (影分身の術, B-rank, Supplementary): Shadow Clone Technique. Creates clones of the user. Unlike the ordinary _**Bunshin no Jutsu**_, these are actual clones, not illusions.

* * *

_**Ouryuu Benibakushou **_(王竜紅爆掌)

**Name: **King Dragon Crimson Exploding Palm

**Type:** Taijutsu, B-rank, Offensive, Close range (0-5 m)

**User:** Hyuuga Himeko

**Future Users:** ??????

An original technique invented by Hyuuga Himeko as a variation of _**Furyuushou**_ (Wind Dragon Palm). By adding fire-nature chakra to the original wind chakra, she adds explosive and searing power to the original technique.

* * *

_**Ryoutotsugeki **_(両突撃)

**Name: **Two-Hand Assault

**Type:** Taijutsu, D-rank, Offensive, Close range (0-5 m)

**User:** Houraisan Saya, Hyuuga Himeko

**Future Users:** Hyuuga Hinata, Uzumaki Naruto

A basic Taijutsu strike from the Fire Dragon Taijutsu style. It is simply a combo of palm strikes and chops with both hands ending with a double palm thrust finisher for the knockback effect.

* * *

_**Shousouda **_(掌双打)

**Name: **Two-Palm Strike

**Type:** Taijutsu, B-rank, Offensive, Close range (0-5 m)

**User:** Houraisan Saya, Hyuuga Himeko

**Future Users:** Hyuuga Hinata, Akimichi Chouji

An advanced Taijutsu strike from the _**Houraisan no Doryuu **_(Earth Dragon of Houraisan) style. The user releases a large burst of chakra through her palms in a very short instant of time. However, unlike Tsunade's super strength technique, _**Shousouda**_ has the user also shaping the chakra released into an sphere that lashes at the opponent multiple times for a very short duration. In a way, this technique could be seen as a very lesser form of _**Rasengan**_.

* * *

_**Tenshuu Ranbu **_(天蹴乱舞)

**Name: **Heavenly Kick Boisterous Dance

**Type:** Taijutsu, D-rank, Offensive, Close range (0-5 m)

**User:** Houraisan Saya, Hyuuga Himeko

**Future Users:** Uzumaki Naruto, Hyuuga Hanabi

A basic Taijutsu strike from the _**Yokazeryuu **_(Night Breeze Dragon) Taijutsu style. A combo of successive spinning kicks in midair.


	8. Phantasmagoria of the New Year

**Disclaimer: **I always forget to do this. I don't own Naruto.

_**Phantasmagoria of Dichromatic Eyes**_

**Chapter 5**

**Phantasmagoria of the New Year ****–**** Veiled Eyes  
**

Houraisan Shiki stared at the backs of his wife and his student.

Training Area 69 was located on the northeastern corner of Konohagakure. If a person stood on the roof of the Houraisan house and looked past the tree line, they would see the right side of the Hokage Mountain. The only clans further away from the village itself are the Inuzuka Clan and the Nara Clan, in that order.

The main door of the Houraisan residence points westward, towards the Sarutobi family grounds. To the northwest, they share borders with the Inuzuka Clan. An immense expanse of forest protected from civilization by Konoha Law and the Nara Clan separates the Houraisan grounds from the northernmost boundary of Konohagakure, which leads to the Valley of the End and the border with the young nation of _**Ta no Kuni **_(Rice Field Country). The Houraisan house is the easternmost structure in Konoha's map. To the east of the house there is nothing but untamed land until Port City and the coast. To the south, the Houraisan grounds crashed with the immense property of the Hyuuga Clan.

Due to the quasi-symbiotic relationship between Houraisan and Hyuuga, there's a small gate connecting both territories. Outside of the two clans, only the Third Hokage and Mitarashi Anko know of its existence (and only because Anko followed Saya one day almost three years before). Even within the Hyuuga, most of them know of the gate but ignore its purpose. Only the Clan Leader and the Council of Elders use it when they need to visit the Houraisan couple for any reason. It was this gate that Hinata had used to reach Naruto a few days before, and it was this gate the one Shiki could see in the distance a good hundred or so yards away.

Hyuuga Hiashi had requested a meeting. He had also insisted on the Houraisan visiting Hiashi at his residence. He allowed Saya to train his daughter (_Well, duh……_ Shiki thought), but only after the Winter Holidays were over and only after he met Saya to "discuss minor details." In the written message he had delivered through a proxy, he also stated that it would be a private meeting and that the Council of Elders wasn't involved in any way. They didn't even know of Hinata's new scheduled training. The surprise was that it had been Hinata herself who had insisted on this. The girl didn't want the Council to know she was going to train with Saya, for some reason.

This is why, on the second day of January (_**Mutsuki**_), Shiki stared in amusement at his wife as she tried to review with Naruto the crash course on manners he had been drilled with since the moment he woke up that morning. Shiki would have felt pity for the boy, but the sight was just too amusing, and he was completely sure Naruto would forget everything Saya had tried to teach him. Shiki had thought Saya knew Naruto better. If the boy wasn't willing to learn, he just wouldn't learn. Waking him up with threats and trying to shove manners in his brain as he ate a rushed breakfast wasn't the best way to ensure attention and receptivity.

_At least his clothes are appropriate._

The main advantage of the Houraisan "official clothes" was that they were appropriate for both fighting and formal meetings.

Naruto had activated _**Senrigan**_ since the moment he woke up. He wasn't going to train that day, it seemed, so he decided to make the exercise to see how long he could keep the jutsu activated. If anything, it would work as an exercise to build chakra reserves and increase his control over wind chakra. The white shapes of the trees, Saya-neechan and Shiki-sensei reminded him that he still had to figure out temperature perception. It pissed him off.

While his favorite set of plans for any given day was, of course, training, Naruto was really looking forward to this visit. He would get to see Hiashi's and Hina-chan's house, after all……well, not really "see," but the idea gets across. He guessed it would be his last day of relaxation before his training for the New Year began.

Unfortunately for Naruto, even Ichiraku Ramen closed for the New Year, so he ended up spending the eve in the Houraisan grounds as usual. He couldn't really expect Hina-chan (who hadn't showed up since that day) or the idiot (Sasuke) to visit on that day, after all. However, he had to admit it was fun. Saya-neechan went all out with the food and the drinks that night. She even made **RAMEN**!!!

It was official. Saya-neechan wasthe coolest girl ever.

While they ate, drank and were merry (Shiki was the funniest drunk **ever**. Even if it took one helluva lot of booze to get him drunk, damn it was worth it), the couple shared with Naruto their plans for the New Year concerning him. Shiki's training wouldn't change notably. His clones would continue with their study of theoretical subjects. However, unlike the previous months, in which Shiki simply shared random words and concepts with clones that absorbed every single word like sponges, they would actually follow a schedule from that point onwards. Naruto wondered just how Shiki would teach him all the things he said he would teach him, if Naruto was still unable to read and write.

Saya announced they would continue their _**Hakkeshou **_training. When she deemed Naruto had learned enough katas, they would move to a more complete training schedule: Taijutsu every day at sunrise. Perception and stealth on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays; perception and scouting on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays. Naruto would only rest on Sundays.

Saya had the sharpest eyes of the three (Shiki's had suffered the consequences of years and years of reading scrolls and crafting seals), so she was the first to notice the two shapes that appeared under the plain but tall wooden gate that marked the boundary between the Houraisan and the Hyuuga grounds. Shiki noticed them an instant later and Naruto a few moments after Shiki. The married couple greeted the welcoming party with a nod at the same time a squad of four bodyguards surrounded the two important Hyuugas.

Shiki, as the "leader" of the Houraisan "clan," hastened his step to move ahead of his wife and Naruto, and then greeted the two Hyuugas who waited for them.

"Hiashi-san, Hinata-kun."

And, as Shiki predicted, Naruto shoved Saya's notes on manners down the drain.

"Yo! Mr. H!!!"

Saya slammed her right hand on her forehead. Shiki used all his willpower to suppress the smirk that threatened to take shape on his face. The four Branch Family bodyguards took a step back, hoping that their superior wouldn't activate his Bloodline Limit so that he couldn't see the very subtle grins on their faces. Hinata was brave enough to look up at her father and the very thick vein popping out of his forehead.

"………his education is deficient, Shiki-sama, Saya-sama."

Saya chuckled uneasily. "What can we say? Manners aren't one of our immediate priorities."

Naruto pouted. "Mou, I greeted you! How could you don't greet me!?"

The bodyguards studied Hiashi's reaction attentively. Needless to say, any word or action he did would be known by the entire clan in no more than fifteen minutes.

"The name is Hyuuga Hiashi, boy." Hiashi paid special attention to Naruto's "eyes." It was the first time he saw them, after all. He would have liked to explore the mediums with _**Byakugan**_, but that would have been disrespectful.

"I'm Uzumaki Naruto, not 'boy'."

Hiashi's lips turned slightly upwards. "Then we are even." He looked down. "Hinata."

"Father."

"Please tend to Naruto-san while I talk with his teachers."

"A-Alright. Na……" The others didn't fail to notice Hinata nodding to herself. "…Naruto-kun?"

Hiashi didn't (couldn't) react, but he approved of Hinata's assertiveness. Her choice of honorifics was the official announcement of her friendly relationship with Uzumaki Naruto. It also showed that she didn't care about the clan's opinion or reaction. He only hoped she could properly defend herself when (if) the Council of Elders tried to question her about it.

"Uh…sure!" Naruto frowned, trying to remember a little about Saya's short lesson on "noblespeak."

"Uh……I guess……I'll be in your care, Hinata…sama." It amused Hiashi greatly the sight of Naruto cringing as he spoke. "Sorry for the intrusion."

Hinata found herself blushing, even if she didn't really know why. "Ah……umm……right……please come with me?"

Hiashi and Naruto's caretakers watched the two children leave. Judging from their direction, Hiashi guessed Hinata wanted Naruto to meet her little sister. Naruto walked with careful and slow steps. Even with his _**Senrigan**_, he didn't want to take risks. They didn't catch Hinata whispering "Yo-You can call me Hi……Hina-chan, Naruto-kun."

"Are you sure it's alright? For Naruto to be here, I mean?" Saya inquired with a soft tone. She was worried, and with good reason.

"This is a test for him, too." Hiashi explained. "Besides, I want to talk with him. But that's a matter for later. Please follow me."

* * *

Naruto looked with a nondescript look at the small curled shape under him. Even without the ability to see specific features, he could make a few assumptions about the small girl's appearance. Unlike Hinata, this girl had her hair long and her face wasn't nearly as round. Her nose wasn't as upturned as Hinata's but it was big enough for _**Senrigan **_to notice it at the right angle. Her overall frame was thinner and lither than Hinata's, taking into account the age difference, of course.

"So……what does she do?"

"I-I do not think I understand, Naruto-kun."

"Yeah! I mean, does she do any tricks?"

"She's not a pet, Naruto-kun, she's my sister."

"Uhhh, right. I-I don't really know about babies."

"She's two years old, Naruto-kun. She's not a baby anymore." Hinata was half amused, half annoyed at this point.

"Really? Heeh, sorry……" Naruto was actually pretty embarrassed by now. The last thing he wanted was to look like an idiot in front of the Hyuuga Clan. Fortunately (or unfortunately, depending on how you look at it), they were alone in Hanabi's room, watching the youngest of Hiashi's daughters sleep.

Hinata studied Naruto's face while Naruto tried to make something out of the featureless shape of Hanabi his limited form of vision gave him. She had paid close attention to the reaction Naruto's presence within clan grounds evoked. Hyuugas are renowned for their ability to conceal their emotions, and it showed even that day, but the difference had been quite noticeable, even to the unskilled Hinata. Hinata had been aware of the unjustifiable hatred (she couldn't come up with a better word) aimed at Naruto since the very first time she saw him. She didn't know what to make of it, but she knew she wouldn't forgive herself if her clan acted the same way. How could she expect to be Naruto-kun's best friend if the rest of her family acted so horribly?

She should have known better. Putting aside the initial surprise at the sight of Uzumaki Naruto walking on Hyuuga grounds accompanied by the heiress, every single person they met on the way acted with their usual I'm-better-than-you attitude, even most from Branch Families. A very select few couldn't hide their curiosity and followed the little couple with their eyes for a while.

A cute whine and a grunt claimed Hinata's attention.

Hyuuga Hanabi opened her pupil-less eyes. The first thing they saw was a pair of strange green and blue orbs. Naruto could tell that the girl was now facing him, but it was impossible for him to know she was looking at him, deathly still as she was. Hinata, too, remained silent, waiting for a reaction from either Naruto or Hanabi.

The youngest Hyuuga stared mesmerized at those eyes of the likes of nothing she had ever seen in her short and secluded life. The rest of the face soon caught her attention. His spiky blond hair, the darker tone of his skin and the whisker-like marks on his cheeks; all of them combined made for quite the unusual sight to the little Hyuuga girl.

Naruto realized the girl was awake when she lifted her tiny left hand closer to his face. He crunched up his nose and close his eyes in that foxy pensive look of his.

"Uh? What's going on?"

Hanabi's hand stopped when Naruto spoke. Hinata watched as her little sister tilted her head in response to Naruto's words, as if her brain tried to make something of them. Hanabi's eyes remained fixated on Naruto's look of confusion.

Suddenly, Hanabi's body shook. Naruto and Hinata frowned. Being the one closest to her, Naruto managed to perceive a faint sound escaping Hanabi's mouth. He couldn't make anything of it until it became louder and obvious to both him and Hinata.

Naruto made a face. "Is she laughing at me?"

His new expression provoked another (louder) fit of giggles from Hinata's sister.

"She's laughing at me." Naruto confirmed and followed with a pout, which only elicited more giggling.

"She certainly is, Naruto-kun." Hinata agreed with an amiable face. It wasn't everyday she could hear Hanabi laughing like that. It was another item for Hinata's "Reasons to Like Naruto-kun" list.

"Hina!" Hanabi acknowledged her sister's presence.

"Good morning, Hanabi-chan." Hinata offered her sister her brightest smile.

"Good morning!" However, the excitement of the unknown soon drew Hanabi back to the hilarious stranger.

"Yo." Naruto waved timidly with his right hand.

Hanabi blinked. She followed with the most basic of reactions: imitation. "……yo!"

For some reason, Hyuuga Hiashi suddenly experienced a feeling of impending doom.

Naruto chuckled. "Heh, this baby's kinda cool."

It was Hanabi's turn to pout. "No baby! Hanabi!"

Naruto paid no heed to Hinata's quiet complain about Hanabi saying her own name right and not hers. He was nodding and smirking, which only led to more nodding and smirking when Hanabi mimicked him. "Okay, I'll accept that, Hana-chan!"

Hanabi blinked. "Hana-chan?"

"You."

"Me."

"Yep."

"……Hana-chan!" She nodded and smirked in a very Naruto-esque way. Hinata giggled, which only caused Hanabi to join her.

Hiashi felt a chill going down his spine.

"Umm……you okay, Hiashi?"

"It……it's nothing, Saya-sama……"

* * *

"Ruto!"

"Naruto."

"Ruto!"

"Na-ru-to."

"Ruto!!!"

"Na……come on, say it."

"Ruto!"

"Naaaaa……."

Hanabi caught the idea and played along. "Naaaa……"

"Ruuu……."

"Ruuuu!"

"To!"

"To!"

"Alright, Naruto! Say it!"

"Ruto!"

"Must……not……kill………"

"Ruto!" Hanabi offered her left hand to the mildly annoyed boy. "Hand!"

Naruto chuckled and took Hanabi's hand in his before they resumed their walk. The little girl had already proved she could walk almost perfectly, but it was obvious she couldn't keep up with the taller and faster Naruto. After holding hands, little Hanabi followed Naruto's steps with a slight jog. They were on a path made entirely of small, round stones, nearing the easternmost edge of the Hyuuga grounds. They were walking southwards and they had a pretty and clear current of clear water to their left. Between the rather shallow stream and the path there were row after row of clothes being dried by the morning sun, tended by Hyuuga women and young girls who spent their idle time chatting and playing in the water, respectively.

Hinata followed them closely behind, watching the two's antics with visible amusement. She didn't mind being ignored by her sister, as it was obvious Hanabi was enjoying herself. She also could see Naruto shared the feeling. It made Hinata remember that, on the few occasions she had seen Naruto before that fateful October night, he had always been alone. It made him wonder if he had even played with other children before Hanabi. In fact, from what she remembered from her conversations with Naruto on her birthday, his first playmate would have been Uchiha Sasuke.

Turning her attention back to the odd duo, it seemed Naruto was trying a "game" he had seen a woman try once with her young child. Hanabi's eyes were centered on his left hand which had gotten hold of her nose.

"Got your nose, Hana-chan."

Hanabi quickly retaliated by "grabbing" Naruto's whisker marks, effectively pinching his cheeks.

"Got your face!"

"Ow-ow-ow-owwww!!!! Hana-chan!!!"

Hinata giggled quietly. Hanabi was not as inconspicuous. However, the trio's attention was seized by another, louder, source of laughter.

The Hyuuga women (and girls) in charge of the laundry had also noticed the little exchange, it seemed. Hinata bowed to acknowledge their presence, and the women promptly returned the gesture with gentle smiles on their faces. Despite any animosity existing between the Main House and the Branch Families, Hinata was well liked by most Hyuugas. Apparently, any surprise Naruto's presence might have caused was quickly replaced by mirth.

"Ah, geez, Hana-chan!"

Naruto poked Hanabi's side as a manner of complain. Hanabi's reaction to this was quite unexpected, though: she giggled and backed away. Naruto didn't need either eyes or a genius mind to understand this sudden and new tidbit of info.

"Oh……so Hana-chan is ticklish!"

The other Hyuugas barely had time to register Naruto's devilish smirk before he attacked. The laundry women (and girls) laughed heartily while Hinata watched half-worried, half-amused.

"Ah! No! Ahahaha, no! No! No more! Ruto! Ahahahahaha!!!!"

"Say my name right!"

"No-hahahaha! Ruto! Stop! Ahahahaha-aaah!!!"

Naruto grinned with his best and most sincere grin. For some reason he couldn't fully fathom, Hanabi's laughter made him feel extremely happy. It reminded him of when he and Hinata sparred with Saya, without the adrenaline. Regardless of the reason, he wanted more. He wanted to hear her laugh more.

Hinata and Hanabi gasped when Naruto picked the younger Hyuuga up and made her sit on his shoulders. The older Hyuuga girls and women were more surprised by the fact that Naruto could lift Hanabi with so little effort. Naruto held Hanabi by her thin arms.

"Hold tight, Hana-chan! Ow, ow, don't pull my hair!!!"

Naruto leapt off the marked path and ran straight to the stream, focusing his chakra into _**Senrigan**_ so that he would be able to see the largest rocks that peaked out of the running water. Laughing and jumping from rock to rock, Naruto enjoyed the music that was Hanabi's gleeful shouts. Hinata and the other females enjoyed the scene, but also watched closely in case Naruto slipped or Hanabi let go of his clothes for any reason.

"Ano……Naruto-kun!!!"

"What!?" Naruto exclaimed between leaps. He was already trying things other than simple leaps. He tried spinning in midair like a ballerina and barely pulled it off. Hanabi's laughter told him the girl hadn't noticed they had been dangerously close to falling rather harshly.

"I-I don't think otou-sama would approve of this!"

Naruto channeled chakra to his legs to make a particularly large jump to the opposite side of the stream.

"Whoo-hoo!!!"

"Whaaaaaa!!!!" Hanabi exclaimed excitedly for the few instants her friend's legs left the safety of the ground below, enjoying the feel of her long dark hair wildly flowing like a banner. Inertia made her body jerked forward when Naruto abruptly landed, but his grip on her was firm and strong.

"Waai! Again!!!"

Naruto ignored Hanabi's "demands" for a moment to respond to Hinata's sentence. Besides, he could use a few seconds to catch his breath.

"No problem, no problem!" He dismissed Hinata with a wide grin. "Mr. H is cool!"

For an instant, complete silence filled the place. It felt as if even the stream had halted its perennial course. Naruto had become the center of attention, as the laundry women silently themselves asked the exact same question: had that kid just called Hiashi "Mr. H"?

Hanabi, little sweetheart she is, answered the lingering question.

"Mister H!!!" She exclaimed for no reason other than to show she could.

In that moment, "Mr. H" became the Branch Families' unofficial nickname for their mighty clan leader. Of course, it would only be used in whispered chats, carefully concealed gossips and Branch Family conversations within the privacy of their homes. When Hiashi's bodyguards for that day confirmed that Uzumaki Naruto had conceived the name, as well as confirmed that he was friends with the Hyuuga sisters and at the very least acknowledged by Hiashi, himself, he became an honorary Branch Hyuuga, loved by all. Well, loved by most.

* * *

For an entire hour, Hiashi conversed with Shiki and Saya within his private office. The couple answered his few inquiries about Naruto's progress, even if it became obvious they were keeping a lot to themselves. For starters, they refused to say a word about the strange implants in his eyes, only saying that "it helps his chakra control, which is subpar because of Kyuubi and the seal than contains him."

In fact, it wasn't the first time Hiashi had seen a medium for a Houraisan Body Circuit. He clearly remembered Himeko had a pretty scarlet magatama on her belly.

After talking about Naruto, the topic became Hinata. This was precisely the reason his face was contorted in a bitter expression as he left the room, closely followed by the couple. He was clear on the fact that Saya truly intended to train Hinata. However, after the Taijutsu Goddess described the basic elements of her training scheme, Hiashi couldn't help but worry.

Does Hinata have what it takes to be trained by Saya?

Saya's description made _**Jyuuken **_training look like children's games and formal Shinobi Taijutsu training like morning calisthenics. He understood that she had to be even more demanding because Hinata would be able to devote herself to Saya's training full time. Hiashi simply couldn't help but doubt Hinata could agree to go with Saya's demands. He wasn't sure **he **would go through with those, if he were in Hinata's shoes. It only made him admire his wife even more.

_You were a lot braver than I ever imagined, Himeko……_

Hiashi's words also helped him understand why she didn't just pick any of the many talented Taijutsu artists (Himeko, Tsunade, Gai, the Shodai Hokage) she had trained to become her successor. Martial talent was the least of the qualities Saya was looking for.

When they reached the "backyard" of the Hyuuga grounds (basically a huge expanse of green between the cluster of buildings and the easternmost boundary of Hyuuga land and Konohagakure altogether), the three adults were welcomed by the most unusual scene.

Paper cranes.

Dozens of them.

Hinata, as well as a group of nameless females, was busy applying her basic origami skills to make paper cranes. As soon as one was finished, it was added to the flock that flew around the garden with the power of _**Fuujin Tesabaki no Jutsu**_. Naruto's hands traced wild arcs in the air like the director of an inanimate orchestra, and an ecstatic Hanabi chased the wayward paper birds while shouting and laughing in glee.

While Naruto had done this for Hanabi's enjoyment, he had made two very interesting discoveries concerning _**Fuujin Tesabaki**_. First, he realized that, while he had _**Senrigan **_active, he could use _**Tesabaki **_without hand seals. He guessed it was because the hand seal sequence for _**Tesabaki**_ was part of the sequence for _**Senrigan**_, so when triggering the perception jutsu, he was in fact triggering both. The second discovery was that the amount of chakra needed for _**Tesabaki **_had decreased to laughable levels. He wasn't sure if _**Senrigan **_had something to do with it, or if it was a consequence of his relentless work with Wind-nature chakra.

"His control has improved. I hadn't noticed." Shiki admitted. Hiashi raised an eyebrow.

"What kind of technique is this?" He refrained from using _**Byakugan **_as he found it disrespectful.

"It's a wind jutsu that allows Naruto to control the flow of air around him and uses it to manipulate objects from a distance." Shiki immediately explained.

"He could, for example, attack with kunai while keeping his hands free to use other hand seals." Saya added. Hiashi immediately pondered the possibilities of such a technique.

"Could he use it to control or at least restrict an opponent's movements? That way he could end battles before they even began."

Shiki shook his head. "The jutsu uses wind to propel the objects, Hiashi. To move a large object such as a human body, Naruto would have to create a miniature focused hurricane. Not only would it require great chakra stamina and control, the force of the winds might affect Naruto himself."

Hiashi nodded in understanding. The three adults remained silent, watching Naruto's paper crane show from a distance. Not even Hiashi could hide a small smile after a while of listening to Hanabi's gleeful laughter and the cheers of Hinata and the other women who encouraged Naruto to try handling more and more paper constructs, until his shape became almost undistinguishable within the paper swarm given life by his will. While most of the people present had their eyes on the visibly ecstatic Hanabi, Saya and Hinata turned affectionate eyes to Naruto.

Coming from a person with such a difficult a painful past, the brilliant smile on his face as he made the paper cranes obey his will was awe-inspiring.

* * *

Lunch time.

Hanabi and Naruto were once again the center of attention, as Hanabi (who was eating on a large table with her family for the first time) showed the demon vessel that she could use the chopsticks "like a big girl." Hinata was simply appalled by the fact that her father didn't seem to mind the little ruckus her little sister and her friend were making, at the same time she wondered just why any of the Elders hadn't showed up yet. It was impossible for them not to be aware of their guests' presence.

While the Main Family of the Hyuugas enjoyed lunch, the Council of Elders was already discussing the arguments they'd use to strike at Hiashi later that day. Unfortunately for them, Naruto was untouchable as long as he was surrounded by Hiashi and the Houraisan couple.

Hiashi quietly watched the scene as he pondered the few conclusions he had reached during that morning.

First: his two daughters had developed an attachment to Uzumaki Naruto. Hanabi clung to Naruto simply because he was her new favorite toy and playmate; Hinata's attachment was a lot subtler but substantially more powerful. Hiashi was intrigued by the way Hinata seemed so relaxed when in the boy's presence. Normally she would have her head lowered as she slowly ate, shooting nervous glances at him every ten seconds or so. At that moment he might as well not be in the room at all. She only had eyes for Naruto and Hanabi, who seemed to be in some sort of competition over who wasn't the clumsiest on the dining table. While Naruto had the age advantage, he was clearly disfavored by the handicap of his lack of sight (_**Senrigan **_doesn't really help much as it only shows one big white blob of food on the circular white shape of the dishes).

Second: Naruto had apparently made his way to the hearts of the Hyuuga, or at least the Branch Families. Only a few hours after his arrival he was being greeted by men and women alike, and the boy was more than eager to return the formalities. Hiashi still wasn't sure why this had happened, but he guessed it had to do with the little paper crane display. However, he could swear people were shooting odd looks and giggling at him for some reason.

As for the third and beyond……

"Saya-san."

"Emhmm?"

"Swallow before speaking, Saya."

Saya did as told by her husband. "Yes?"

Hiashi ignored the utmost urge to sweatdrop. "About Hinata's training……"

This got Hinata's and Naruto's attention, to the point that Naruto forgot to swallow a loose slice of lettuce that was left hanging from a corner of his mouth. Hanabi looked around uncertain of why was everybody suddenly looking at her father.

"I believe we discussed that plenty enough earlier, Hiashi-kun." Saya declared coldly.

"I believe my daughter deserves to know."

Even those simple words made Hinata feel surprisingly elated. Her father was considering her! She was in his mind! If she weren't a particularly **shy **Hyuuga she would have pondered the idea of hugging Naruto right there in that moment, manners be damned.

Saya shrugged. In that house, Hiashi's word was law. She turned to face Hinata, as the little girl would be the one receiving this information for the first time.

"First thing of all, I need to perform a physical check-up as well as ascertain your elemental nature. That will help me decide which Taijutsu styles are more appropriate for you according to your chakra and body build. If you end up being a wind-type like Naruto we would have to change his schedule, too.

"Eh, why!?" Naruto whined before Hinata could think of asking the same question. Hanabi was poking Naruto's side, trying to claim his attention once more.

"Because we would be teaching you two the same style and it would be more practical to teach the two of you together. Since Hinata can only train with us during the afternoons, that would mean we would have to move your Taijutsu lessons to the afternoons and Shiki's lessons to the mornings."

Naruto frowned for an instant, and then nodded. He could understand that. Hanabi giggled for a moment. Naruto's frowning face was the funniest thing ever. However, her amusement soon changed to frustration when it became obvious that Naruto wasn't paying attention to her. She tried poking harder (she knew better than to interrupt the adults speaking by calling his name) but Naruto pushed her hands away without even sparing a glance.

That was it. Hyuuga Hanabi wouldn't tolerate being ignored like that!

"For example…" Saya continued. "…if Hinata turned out to be an Earth………"

She couldn't finish her sentence. When it became obvious that she wasn't saying another word, Hiashi, Shiki and Hinata turned their eyes in the same direction. Naruto didn't need to; as he was the center of attention and he was quite aware of the reason Saya had abruptly interrupted her speech.

Naruto became awfully conscious of the feeling of lips caressing a corner of his mouth. Hanabi had claimed the rogue piece of lettuce with her own lips. For an instant which, for many eyes, lasted too long, the youngest Hyuuga's lips lingered a tenth of an inch from Naruto's before she slumped back down on her seat next to the blond. Two seconds later she had chewed and swallowed. She was looking at Naruto with the loveliest grin she could muster, which, given her age, was very lovely.

"Lettuce."

All the others in the dining room blinked as one and Hanabi seemed to revel in the attention.

"Uhh……Hana-chan……?"

Hanabi tilted her head, trying to interpret Naruto's blatantly befuddled expression. She had a sudden spark of insight. Of course! It was so obvious!

Everyone blinked again when Hanabi took a piece of lettuce and held it with her lips. They blinked again when she lifted her head a bit, obviously offering the treat to an even more confused Naruto.

"Huwy!!" She urged Naruto to imitate her, making sure she wouldn't drop the offering as she spoke.

"Uhh……" Naruto repeated. Shiki decide to put something in his mouth to hide his smirk. Hinata struggled between looking at the awkward scene or at her father, who looked awfully……still.

"Oh my……" Saya only comment resumed everyone's feelings quite accurately.

* * *

"It's……burning………" Hinata let go of the piece of paper before the flames reached her fingers. Saya watched the small square of paper become ashes before it even touched the ground.

"Burning?" Naruto, who unfortunately couldn't see fire clearly, repeated.

"That means you are a Fire-type, just like your mother." Saya declared. They were a few yards behind the rightmost building of the Houraisan grounds, where they'd have plenty of space for Hinata's taijutsu training. Shiki had allowed Naruto to stick around that first day, as they would begin their formal lessons the following day. Shiki had even explained him the schedule for that first day of studies: ninety minutes of Mathematics followed by an hour of Military Tactics. Naruto then would have a break of forty-five minutes before an hour of Law and Politics and one final hour devoted to Chemistry……whatever _that_ was.

"Just like……mom……" Hinata felt a surge of confidence. It was her first day as Saya's apprentice, and she was nervous as hell. However, the feeling that she was following her mother's footsteps inspired her and elated her. Besides, she had Naruto by her side.

"Fire? Like the idiot? Bo-ring……"

"I-I'm sorry……" Hinata felt her confidence deflate like a balloon……after several conversations with Naruto, she was quite aware that the "idiot" Naruto referred to was none other than Uchiha Sasuke, the top student in her class.

"Don't listen to this little brat, Hinata-chan, he doesn't know what he's talking about."

Naruto grumbled something undecipherable and turned away from the two females. Hinata didn't know whether to apologize or giggle at Naruto's childish antics.

"Alright, you two." Saya clapped to get their attention. "Hinata, practice some _**Hakkeshou**_ katas to warm up your body. Naruto, join her or get the hell out of here."

"What? Hell no! I'm staying! You're going to teach Hina-chan some cool Taijutsu!"

Saya narrowed her gaze. "You already had your Taijutsu training this morning."

"We only do _**Hakkeshou**_!!! I'm sick of that!!! Teach me something else!!!" Naruto demanded with a whiny voice. Hinata was about to intervene with her famous "ano……" but a sharp glance from Saya made her back away like a scared rabbit.

"I've already said this, Naruto: when you've mastered enough _**Hakkeshou **_katas I'll teach you another style. Now join Hinata-chan or get lost."

Naruto frowned. Saya already knew it meant Naruto was pondering his next words.

"Ne, Saya-neechan, what are you going to teach Hina-chan?"

"Since she's a Fire-type, I'm going to teach her the _**Karyuu **_Taijutsu Style."

Of course, Naruto exploded.

"WHAT!? NO WAY!!! You're teaching her **cool** Taijutsu already!!! I've been doing nothing but _**Hakkeshou**_ for months!!! That's not fa-ow-ow-ow-owww……nee-chan!!!"

Saya only twisted Naruto's right ear even harder. She shot another sharp look at Hinata, who had interrupted her warm-up when she heard Naruto's outburst.

"And Hinata-chan's been doing _**Hakkeshou**_ since the moment she learned how to stand up, boy. She has you beat by quite a lot of time, so don't come here complaining about fairness. The world's not fair, Naruto, I thought you understood that better than anyone."

Those words hit Naruto hard. He hated to admit it, but he couldn't argue against his nee-chan's words.

Saya mentally hit herself when she saw the downcast look on Naruto's face. She knew she was being a bit unfair. After all, the boy progression with the Eight Trigrams Palm was astounding. He already had almost seventy katas memorized and pretty much mastered. At that rate, it wouldn't take him two more months to fulfill Saya's requirement of 112 mastered katas. She wouldn't call Naruto a genius, he was just that devoted to learning and improving himself.

_A shining genius of hard work………OH MY GOD I'M THINKING LIKE GAI._

She decided to channel her thoughts into another direction. Turning to Naruto, she offered him a conciliating smile he could not see.

"If you want, you can stay and watch, Naruto, but I really think you could use your time on more important things."

Naruto might be able to see Saya's face, but he was already able to interpret the tone of her voice to a level only Shiki could equal. He, too, smiled gently at the woman he loved and admired.

"Alright."

Saya followed Naruto with her eyes as he ran over to Hinata's side ("Hina-chan!!! Let's do it together!!!"). Her thoughts drifted to her new apprentice; the girl she was depositing her hope into: her potential heiress.

_She has a small, lithe body appropriate for speed. Of course, I have no idea how she'll grow up, but I hope that by then she'll have a__ good grasp of the style………_

Hinata had interrupted her sequence of katas to show Naruto a new group of stances for him to memorize. Hinata was probably the reason Naruto was getting the hang of Eight Trigrams Palm so astoundingly quickly.

_Fire……from a perspective, it's quite appropriate.__ Fire cannot exist by itself, it must be ignited. Once ignited, it feeds from the air and the wind fans it and makes it stronger……the wind is the engine that helps the flame reach untold heights. How far will you be able to make it, Hinata-chan? Will you be able to face the Trial of Fire?_

* * *

Three and a half hours later, Hinata was exhausted. Her arms hurt and her legs felt like two logs. _**Karyuu**_ didn't have slow katas. Even the most basic move demanded a speed Hinata simply did not have. After hours of repeating the same left-hand horizontal chop dozens and dozens of time, Saya declared Hinata would begin speed training the next day before leaving her alone with Naruto.

The blond desisted on trying his luck with _**Karyuu **_the moment Saya explained the basics. He thought he was pretty fast, but Hinata had him completely beat on speed. If she couldn't do it, he didn't have the slightest chance.

Hinata fell unceremoniously on the grass next to Naruto, stretching both arms and legs. Her chest heaved up and down as she claimed the much necessary oxygen for her tired lungs.

"The Academy……and this………it's too much………" She said between breaths. She expected an answer from Naruto, but none came.

"Na……Naruto-kun?"

No answer. Naruto was seated to her left, his back hunched in a very inappropriate way from an ergonomic point of view. Hinata winced as she lifted her upper body to get a better look of her friend's face.

"Naruto-kun?"

Naruto opened his eyes, startling the little girl. "Ah? Hina-chan?"

"Eh……?" Hinata blinked a few times. "Ah! I-I-I'm so sorry!!!" Ignoring the complaints of her sore body, she stood on her knees to bow apologetically.

"Uh……eh?"

Hinata stopped her frantic bowing to check Naruto's confused expression……or at least what looked like a confused expression. Sometimes it was hard to tell with those lifeless mediums of his.

"Ano…..eeeh……didn't……didn't I wake you up, Na-Naruto-kun?"

"Eh? Wake up…?" Naruto's "eyes" widened. "Ah! No! You thought I was asleep? No! I was just thinking a lot!!!"

Hinata let go a sigh of relief. She could stand the idea of being a bother to her Naruto-kun in any way. "Thinking……a lot?"

"Yep! About _**Senrigan**_. I just can't figure out the whole 'see heat' thing. How am I supposed to see heat anyway!?"

Hinata nodded. Naruto had already explained her everything about his Wind God Clairvoyance Technique and the steps he was supposed to figure out. She also understood the capabilities of Naruto's jutsu after finishing the first two steps. She knew Naruto saw her as nothing but a white outline in a world of pure black. She would never admit it to him, but she pitied him very, very much.

And there was also the part of her that wants him to look at her so badly it almost hurts.

* * *

At the main temple of the Nakano Shrine, on the far right side, under the seventh tatami mat is the Uchiha Clan's secret meeting place. On a stone altar permanently lit by torches lies a scroll. The contents of this scroll are supposed to be known only by the higher-ups of the great clan of Konoha. For this reason, the area around this altar is heavily trapped against intruders, and the location of the altar itself is the second greatest secret of the Uchihas……

……the greatest secret being the contents of the scroll itself.

And it is precisely this scroll that Uchiha Itachi is reading that night, while the rest of the clan…no, the rest of Konoha, sleeps. Besides the ANBU patrols watching from the roofs, an elderly Hokage who futilely tries to catch up with a pile of paperwork, a rowdy Saya that is sexing up her husband to dehydration and a determinate Uzumaki Naruto who sneaked out of the house for some late night training, Itachi is the only active soul in the Village Hidden in the Leaves.

"So that's how it is………" Itachi mutters to himself. Everything is explained there: the connection between Hyuugas and Uchihas, the first true Uchiha and the birth of the Sharingan. While most of the contents of the scroll are as ancient as the clan itself, being the secret records of the original Uchihas, there are lines of an obviously more recent origin. As if the tale of the birth of Sharingan weren't shocking enough, some of the lines Itachi reads near the end, some of them obviously coming from his own father's hand, actually make Itachi's stomach turn.

_Sealing jutsu……demonic properties………body alteration………failed attempts at making Body Circuits and Body Seals……records on Bijuu and Jinchuuriki………Houraisan Shiki…………Naruto-kun…………MOTHER!? __**SASUKE!?**_

The scroll made a low clattering sound as it fell to the hard stone ground. It would remain unheard by all but Itachi, who struggled to protect his mind from the incredible truth.

Horrible beyond his wildest imagination, but incredible nonetheless.

If Itachi hadn't lost his sanity before that moment, it was as good as gone after reading **that**.

He uses all his willpower and training to refocus and get his act together. Taking deep breaths, he urges his body to relax and his mind to calm down. He needed to think. He needed to plan.

He needed to act.

He still was unsure of what to do, but there was one thing Itachi was completely sure of.

He had given up on the Uchiha Clan. Only three people mattered.

His brother, who didn't deserve the curse of carrying that last name.

His mother, whose only sin was being in love with his father,

And Naruto, who couldn't be allowed to fall in the hands of the Uchiha. If anyone was going to kill Naruto, it was going to be Itachi himself, at the end of the titanic battle in which he would finally measure his full capacity against an opponent worthy of Uchiha Itachi.

He guessed he didn't have anything against the rest of Konoha. He admired the Third Hokage. The latest events concerning Naruto showed him that Hyuuga Hiashi was, at the very least, a decent person. His fellow ANBU were loyal and effective at whay they did. Everyone else was pretty much a name in his short-term memory, nothing more.

Making sure everything was left exactly the way he found it, Itachi disappeared into the night. He needed to think. A lot.

* * *

It was the afternoon of the sixth day of the week. Hinata only trained with Saya on weekdays, so she hadn't showed up at Training Area 69. Academy lessons only took place during the morning that day. Naruto could hear the sounds of a busy afternoon with both children and adults roaming the streets below. He "looked down" from the top of a lamppost (he got there by jumping from a nearby roof). He was enjoying his hour of free time between his Military Training and Military Intelligence lessons.

So far his favorite "classes" were definitely Military Tactics and Military Intelligence. Math was…well…bleh, especially when they couldn't use a blackboard. Physics was actually interesting the way Shiki explained it, staying as far away from numbers as conceivably possible. Naruto kind of liked it because it explained so many things Naruto had never understood but took for granted. Unfortunately, it was related to Math, so bleh. The Chemistry lecture was boring as hell, but the practical exercises were awesome, with all the bubbly thingies and the things that went boom and the smoke and the liquids that made holes on the walls and stuff. He hated Economics and Politics with a passion. He just couldn't get why he should even care about those things, but Shiki-sensei insisted they were important, so he and his shadow clones paid attention. Military Strategy and Logistics were not bad; they just involved a lot of thinking and they made Naruto's head hurt.

It wasn't that Shiki was a bad or a boring teacher. Naruto actually thought he was beyond awesome for knowing so many cool things. However, it was pretty hard to make classes not only manageable but also interesting when your only student was pretty much blind. Shiki's lectures had to be pretty much a speech, and that always got boring after a while. He couldn't use a blackboard because Naruto couldn't read a thing. He failed more often than not at the Chem Lab because it was just too difficult for a blind person to get the measurements right. However, Shiki seemed to be even more patient than his wife. After that afternoon's Military Intelligence lesson (in which they used Naruto's last prank before losing his sight as an example, which was fun to boot), Shiki promised him that he would somehow make the classes more interesting. Naruto felt a tinge of pain after hearing that.

"Being blind sucks." Naruto declared to himself. However, this only made Naruto more determined to master _**Senrigan**_. Figuring out heat perception would take him a step closer to his goal. However, the question remained.

How the hell was he supposed to **see **heat?

* * *

Nara Shikamaru lazily walked up the stairs to his favorite cloud-watching spot. A few steps ahead, a far more excited Akimichi Chouji urged him to hurry up, even if the……larger child knew very well that Shikamaru wouldn't comply. A few steps behind Shikamaru, Akimichi Chouza looked at the two children with his usual benevolent smile. Apparently, the mighty crimson-clad member of the famous Ino-Shika-Cho threesome didn't have anything better to do that Saturday afternoon other than join the two young friends in laziness, watching the sky and eating snacks. Shikamaru couldn't care less. Chouji's father seemed to enjoy silence and peace almost as much as his friend Shikato's firstborn.

"So, how do I do it?"

A voice coming from their "special" rooftop startled the trio. Shikamaru frowned. There couldn't be anyone else in their rooftop. It was **their **rooftop! Their haven! Their oasis! Their manse of peace and quiet! The thinner boy cursed his luck and muttered something about Gods that hated him. He moved to catch up to Chouji and get a look at the intruder, followed by Chouji's father.

A blond boy sat on **their **bench in a pose that suggested deep meditation. His clothes reminded Shikamaru of those worn by that loud Haruno girl from their class, only longer……and a lot more boy-like. He recognized the _**taijitu**_, but he couldn't make anything of the strange lines both over and under the yin-yang symbol. Like everyone else before and after him, he wondered about the (this time) orange bandana that covered his eyes.

Naruto had come to the conclusion that displaying his cool-but-freaky mediums all around Konoha was not a good idea.

"I guess the problems are two." The boy, who was obvious talking to himself, continued. "The first is actually feeling the heat and knowing just how hot it is. The second is making _**Senrigan **_show me that, of course. Hmm……I don't get it."

He jumped off the bench at the same time he willed his chakra to expand the range of his _**Senrigan**_, which allowed to him to notice three human presences to his right. Two children his age and an adult……even if one of the children was particularly large. The adult was just huge. Of course, he knew better than to make fun of their size. After all, he was **blind**. He wouldn't like it if they mocked him for his lack of sight.

Chouza hadn't seen the blond demon vessel in quite a long time, so he could only confirm the Hokage's statement in that moment, when he saw the bandana that covered Naruto's face. Chouza had always been wary of Uzumaki Naruto, secretly fearing the day the seal would give and the almighty beast would be released upon Konoha once more. Of course, he wasn't as callous as to wish the child's death (unless his actions strongly suggested the influence of the demon fox), but, if it were up to him, Naruto would be carefully secluded and monitored 24-7. He still didn't know if leaving Naruto under the Houraisan's care was a good thing or a bad thing.

What really surprised him were Naruto's clothes. When he noticed the _**taijitu**_ on Naruto's cheongsam, for a moment he thought he was looking at the Houraisan family emblem.

Naruto bowed politely just like Saya taught him. "I'm……I'm sorry. Didn't see you there……uh, that doesn't sound right. I…uh……ehh……oh!" Naruto grinned. "I couldn't notice you before. There! That works! Tee-hee!"

Shikamaru raised an eyebrow at the sight of the grinning boy scratching his head. Since the young Nara wasn't a "hanging out" kind of boy, he hadn't seen enough of Naruto to recognize him at first glance. In Chouji's case, it was actually the first time he met the young Jinchuuriki.

_He's troublesome and I must get away as far as humanly possible, I can feel it._

Naruto quickly entered "evasive mode." His little experience in life taught him that he was better off staying away from unknown people. It had been a while since he had been ignored, mocked or insulted. He wanted to keep things that way.

"Uhh……I'm probably bothering you, so I better go……"

Unfortunately for Shikamaru, Chouji's pure heart kicked in precisely in that moment.

"This place is big enough. You don't really have to leave." The "big-boned" boy hurried to the bench as fast as his massive body allowed him to. "But the bench is ours!" He added, grinning.

Naruto couldn't see the boy's grinning face, but he could feel the mirth in his voice, and he returned the gesture as best as he could.

"Fair enough."

Naruto bowed one more time when Chouza walked past him, and the large man was considerate enough to return the gesture. The two Akimichis and Shikmaru claimed the bench as they always did. Naruto sat on the floor three or so yards away from them. He wouldn't be able to stay much longer. Shiki didn't tolerate tardiness.

"I'm Chouji. Akimichi Chouji." The boy declared at the same time he offered his bag of chips to the lazy Nara, who had already leaned back to look at the grey cloudy sky of winter. He didn't like that sky. It made him feel anxious.

"Akimichi……oh! Awesome! You're the guys who can become all big and stuff!!!"

The three on the bench blinked. It was the first time either of them heard someone referring to the Akimichi family techniques in such a way. However, Chouji couldn't suppress a smile. He could recognize a compliment when he heard it, and it wasn't everyday he was complimented for his body, even indirectly.

"Heheh, yeah……"

Naruto's usual excitement had returned with a vengeance. "So, can you do that stuff?"

Chouji actually blushed as he lowered his head a bit. "Ah, no……I'm too young to learn the family techniques……"

Naruto winced behind his bandana. He knew he had screwed up. However, Chouza of all people came to his rescue.

"If Chouji shows me some good grades by the end of this term he might prove he's ready to learn a family jutsu or two."

"Really?" Chouji's grin as he looked up at his father could have powered every single electrical appliance in Konoha. It was even brighter than Naruto's. Shikamaru, who had chosen to stay out of the conversation for as long as possible, offered a little smirk at his best friend's back.

_Good for you, Chouji._

"Damn, that's nice……" Naruto bit his tongue when he felt Chouza's gaze on him. He made a mental note to watch his language. "Clans are so cool, with their secret jutsu and all that……oh, I'm Naruto! Uzumaki Naruto!"

Chouza noticed Naruto hadn't taken the Houraisan name. Curiously, Naruto was thinking something within that wavelength. He lived at the Houraisan residence. He wore Houraisan clothes. He was been taking care of by the Houraisan couple. He was been trained by the Houraisan couple. He possessed a Houraisan Body Circuit. Did that make him Houraisan Naruto?

On a similar note, where the hell did the "Uzumaki" last name come from? He knew nothing about his parents, yet he had carried the Uzumaki name since he had memory. Was that really her father's (or mother's) name?

He could only hope he still remembered those questions by the name he returned home. He really could use one or two answers.

"Naruto……Shika, I felt like having some ramen."

Chouji just had to say the magic word. "RAMEN!!!"

An instant later, he was standing in front of Chouji, startling both Chouza and Shikamaru.

"Yeah! Ramen is the BEST!!! Old man Teuchi makes the best ramen!!!"

Chouji's eyes lit up. "Oh, you know Ichiraku's!!"

Naruto's grin went from ear to ear. Shikamaru was scared by this point.

"Well of course!!!"

And so, the Uzumaki and the Akimichi indulged in a long and loud conversation on ramen and its many blessings: flavors, toppings, preparation; the whole deal.

Shikamaru whined a bit, but he was not heard. His peace and quiet had been brutally shattered.

_Why do I get the feeling my life will never be the same again?_

Twenty or so minutes later, the two ramen-philes halted their voices long enough for Naruto to remember he had a lesson to attend.

"Oh crap!!!" He bowed apologetically to Chouza for the slip of the tongue. "I'm late!!! Shiki-sensei's gonna kill me!!! Gotta go, bye!!!"

With those words, Naruto disappeared with a speed that astounded the other three, jumping to the stairs and dashing down. They looked at the empty stairs for a while after they couldn't hear Naruto's footsteps anymore.

"Troublesome guy." Shikamaru stated. "And what's the deal with that bandana anyway?" _And how the hell can he run like that while blindfolded?_

"He's blind." Chouza explained. Chouji jerked his head to look at his father, the last potato chip left forgotten in his right hand. Shikamaru even sat up with a visibly dumbfounded look.

"Then how in Kami's name can he move like that!?"

Chouza looked in the direction Naruto had departed one last time. "I wish I knew."

* * *

Naruto thought it was funny in a way. Hinata trained with Saya during weekday afternoons and stayed at home to study hard and make up for not attending private lessons instead of Saya's training. Sasuke trained by himself (or with Itachi when the genius Uchiha actually offered a hand) on weekday afternoons and only showed up to train-slash-fool-around with Naruto on the weekends. Therefore, Hinata and Sasuke never met in the Houraisan grounds. While Hinata knew of Naruto's "friendship" with the young Uchiha, Sasuke didn't know about Hinata. The reason? Both Saya and Hinata insisted on the young Hyuuga's training to remain a secret.

Saya's reasons were simple. She didn't want to deal with the possible reactions ignited by Saya having chosen a potential heiress. She knew there were people who would kill for a chance to be trained by her. Himeko actually had to deal with an envious challenger or two. She didn't want people after poor little Hinata. Besides, there was still the chance Hinata wouldn't cut it.

Hinata's reasons were, in fact, of a more……political nature. Shiki's introduction to the art of deception really touched a string in her. The enemy was identified: the Council of Elders. The plan was simple: keep the pretense of the shy, dark, insecure and outright useless little girl. When they lowered their guard enough, WHAM!

……of course, Hinata hoped that by then she would actually have the confidence and determination to do the "WHAM!" thing……whatever that meant.

However, to accomplish……whatever Hinata wanted to accomplish (not even she knows for sure), she knows that, to deceive her enemies, she has to deceive her friends first. Therefore, Hinata would keep the pretense in front of the general public, the Academy included. Only Hiashi, Naruto, Shiki and Saya (and Hanabi, but she's too young to care) would be into the secret of Hinata's (hopefully) growth. It was impossible to keep her training a secret from the Elders, but they didn't really had to know she was (once again, hopefully) actually improving.

It was exactly a week after Naruto met Akimichi Chouji (he had already noticed he never got the names of the other two). Sunset steadily approached, so Naruto was enjoying the last minutes of natural light to stroll around Konoha ninja-style (as in by jumping from roof to roof).

Not like he really cared about measly details such as day and night. The world looked exactly the same to him no matter the time of day.

Last week, Sasuke showed up in time to join the Military Intelligence lesson, and he seemed to like it as much as Naruto. On their first lesson Shiki had introduced the elementary concepts of Military Intelligence. On the next lesson, when Sasuke joined, Shiki made his lecture on the first of these elements: the collection of information. Shiki declared (much to the boys' chagrin) that they were too young and immature to learn about espionage. However, there was more to data gathering than espionage, as Shiki's practical exercise showed.

Shiki proposed the hypothetical situation of Naruto and Sasuke being ordered to recover a stolen object being kept in the house of a particularly important and politically powerful noble of a city in a foreign country. The exercise was making a list of the information Naruto and Sasuke considered they needed to acquire for the purpose of planning an incursion inside the noble's mansion. Shiki said they had done well ("for a pair of brats"), but not good enough. Of course, there was no way in hell Naruto could have possibly thought the moon's position and its phases could be of any help when planning an invasion (it did make sense once he thought about it for a while, though). Besides, it wasn't like he could **see **the moon.

Naruto had to admit, it had been interesting, and, according to Sasuke, "way better than the Academy." That day's lesson had been simple: useful information can come from almost any source, and often the best and most useful information is well known or easily acquired.

However, Sasuke hadn't showed up that day. Considering how excited he was a week before, Naruto couldn't help but worry. Just a little. Not like he cared for the ramen-hating jerk. Of course not.

Fortunately for Naruto, it didn't take him too long to find the "Uchiha idiot that makes me look for him".

"HORSE! TIGER!" A pause. "DAMN IT!!!!"

Naruto rolled his "eyes" before shrugging and walking quietly towards the young Uchiha. Naruto noticed a variation in the "texture" of the "ground" his wind caressed when past a particular boundary. That, combined with the narrow passage-like structure on which edge Sasuke stood, helped Naruto realize the "structure" was in fact a small pier and the boundary was in fact the shore of a body of water of some sort. Sasuke kept shouting the same sequence of hand seal names and cursing, completely unaware of Naruto's presence just a few feet behind him. Of course, Naruto's more mischievous side kicked in. Clearing his throat, he leaned his head closer to Sasuke's left ear……

"……foolish little brother." He pronounced softly, with his best Itachi impersonation.

"WAAAH!!!"

While the soaking Sasuke spat water and struggled to stay above the surface of the lake, Naruto's more "scientific" side wondered if he could make a jutsu that altered his voice. After all, wasn't sound nothing but pressure waves? Adding that idea to his ever-growing list, he focused his attention on Sasuke, channeling more chakra to his _**Senrigan**_.

"I can't believe it actually worked."

"Shut up and HELP ME, dobe!"

"Don't tell me the great Uchiha Sasuke can't swim. Then again, you're a Fire-type, so it kinda makes sense……ha! I found the Uchiha Clan's weakness!" The blond made a smug smirk and a pose. "I'm way too badass."

"OF COURSE I CAN SWIM, YOU IMMENSE IDIOT!!! I CAN'T REACH THE STUPID PIER!!!"

"You could always swim back to shore, you know."

"OR YOU COULD JUST HELP ME UP!!!"

"No way. You're too fat, I'd end up in the water and I don't want to get my cool clothes wet."

"I'm so killing you……"

"You'll have to catch me first." Naruto teased with a singsong tone.

"I hate you."

"Whatever you say, duck-hair…….heheheh, now you really look like a duck!"

"Help me up already!!!" Sasuke tried a threat again, but it sounded more like a whine.

"Say 'please help me, oh so great Naruto-sama, whose badassery is second only to my megas-cool big brother Itachi.'"

Sasuke didn't respond to that. Naruto noticed the other boy had stopped moving, only his head peaking out of the water surface (confirming that yes, he could swim). However, Naruto couldn't see the forlorn look on Sasuke's face. Unable to interpret Sasuke's feelings, Naruto made the only conclusion his mind could conceive.

"Okay, I went overboard there. Here, take my hand."

Naruto cursed his blindness for the thousandth time for being unable to see the evil smirk on Sasuke's face. A second later, another splash disrupted the peaceful stillness of the lake.

"DRRRBLBBLLB!!!!!"

Sasuke sweatdropped. "Yell at me after getting out of the water, idiot."

Naruto's head emerged with a gasp. "TEME!!!!"

"Figures-pffft!!!" Sasuke tried the wipe the little water gun that splashed his face, without success. "What the hell-pfft!!!"

Once the offending water relented, Sasuke was able to notice Naruto's hands joined into a familiar hand seal.

"_**Fuuton: Fuujin Tesabaki no Jutsu**_." Naruto declared with a tone that gave Sasuke the chills.

"Oh you have got to be kidding me-pfffftt!!!!"

And that's how Sasuke learned that Naruto didn't need his hands to splash him with cold water.

* * *

Half an hour later, Sasuke and Naruto rested on the soft grass by the shore. Naruto was the clear winner of their water war, having the advantage of his original _**Fuuton**_ jutsu, but Sasuke obviously would never admit it. Besides, they were both completely soaked so, in a way, they were both losers.

"We're so catching a cold after this." Sasuke grumbled darkly. Naruto wisely chose not to comment on his insane immune system (which Saya had promptly explained to him ages ago).

"My clothes are all wet. It's all your fault, teme!"

"MY FAULT!? You're the reason I ended up in the lake on the first place!"

Naruto blinked. "Oh…yeah, the Itachi thing. That was fun."

Sasuke held back the immense urge to take Naruto's little neck and snap it.

"So, why didn't you show up for Intelligence?"

Sasuke's eyes widened for an instant, and then he lowered his face. "I forgot."

Naruto raised an eyebrow. "You forgot!? YOU FORGOT!?" His wet cheongsam made an odd sound when he stood up to point at Sasuke accusingly.

"That's……that's……you are………**unsightly**!!!"

"………uh?"

"Yeah! You are unsightly!!!"

"……do you even know what……**that**…means?"

"……do you?"

Sasuke groaned. "I don't, so I seriously doubt you do."

Naruto shrugged and slumped down, sitting in front of Sasuke. "Yeah, I don't. I just heard Saya-neechan say it once and it kinda stuck."

"Why didn't you ask her what it means?"

"Nah, too much of a hassle. She was kinda angry, you know. Some wild animals made a mess with her flowers."

"Aaah………." Sasuke nodded sagely. The few times he had visited Naruto at his house taught him not to mess with Saya. For some unfathomable reason, the woman sent alarms to his most primal instincts. It was a familiar feeling, but he just couldn't make the connection.

On two different places in Konoha, Houraisan Saya and Haruno Sakura sneezed simultaneously.

"So, really, why didn't you show up?"

Sasuke took his time to answer. "Father showed me a new Fire jutsu. I have to get it right."

"Hmm……" Naruto nodded and offered his "friend" a supportive smile. He could understand the feeling of wanting to get a jutsu to work. "Tell me more."

"It's called _**Goukakyuu no Jutsu**_. I'm supposed to gather chakra in my mouth, swallow it and add the Fire element in my chest and then exhale it. When Father did it he made this incredible giant ball of fire………it cannot be shot like _**Hinotama no Jutsu **_but it's so much more powerful………but I only make a pitiful little flame! I don't get what I'm doing wrong!"

"Show me."

"Eh?"

"I don't know a thing about _**Katon **_jutsu, but who knows? Show me! And this time try not to shout the hand seals. It doesn't really help, especially if you plan to spit fire out of your mouth."

Sasuke stared at the (this time) black bandana that covered Naruto's eye sockets. Even after a while of hanging out together, Sasuke, unlike Hinata, had yet to see Naruto's mediums. The fact the bandana didn't fall off during their little aquatic war was just luck on Naruto's side.

"Sure, why not?" Sasuke decided to indulge the blond, even if it was pointless to show something to a blind person. Then again, Sasuke **finally **noticed, Naruto didn't seem to have much trouble moving around most of the time.

Standing up and moving past Naruto and closer to the water, Sasuke assumed a stance and closed his eyes to get a feel of his depleted chakra reserves. Taking a deep breath, he tried again.

After several seconds of absolute silence, Naruto opened his mouth. "So?"

"…..same as always: tiny fireball."

And then, something clicked within Naruto. _THAT'S IT!!!!_

Sasuke unconsciously flinched when Naruto suddenly stood up. The incredibly wide grin on the blond's face was, in lack of a better word, scary.

"THAT'S IT!!! SASUKE, YOU'RE A **GENIUS!!!!**"

Sasuke raised an eyebrow. "Well, that's old news, dobe, but I wish I knew why you're so willing to admit it all of a sudden……"

"Oh, shut up! Really, man, if you were anyone else in the world, I'd hug you right now!!!"

"Lucky me……"

"Gotta go, teme! See ya!!!"

Sasuke watched Naruto hop his way out of the grass and back to the road. "So much for your help, dobe." He muttered.

"OI, TEME!!!"

"DOBE!!!" Sasuke barked back.

"You're holding back! You're probably afraid to burn yourself!!! Try using more chakra!!! See ya!!!"

Sasuke blinked a few times as he watched Naruto's rapidly departing form. "………holding back? And just how the hell does he know that?"

The answer would be a combination of his posture, the way his hastened breathing disrupted the flow of air around him, and the slight vibration of his increasing heartbeat transmitted via his muscles and skin to the air in front of his chest. Naruto had focused all of his chakra on Sasuke and the air surrounding him, to the point that _**Senrigan **_didn't show him anything else. With such insane focus, Naruto was able to perceive even such minute details. Basically, he could sense Sasuke's fear and uncertainty. It was one of those little quirks of _**Senrigan **_that made Naruto want to shout "IN YOUR SORRY THIEVING FACES, UCHIHA BASTARDS!!!!"

Sasuke sighed and decided to go home. In any case, he didn't have enough chakra to try Naruto's suggestion the next morning.

He would try, and he would succeed.

* * *

Naruto barged into the Houraisan house a while later like a roadrunner on crack. His head frantically looked for Shiki, even if he didn't really need to move his head to focus his vision. He easily found his sensei, who was looking back at him with a puzzled expression Naruto couldn't see, cup of hot chocolate in hand.

"Welcome home, Naruto." Saya greeted the boy with an icy tone and a raised eyebrow. She obviously didn't approve of Naruto's entrance.

However, Naruto was too excited to care. He would regret that later.

It was obvious, indeed. Just like when Sasuke used _**Hinotama no Jutsu **_on him, Naruto's _**Senrigan **_didn't show him the flame.

He tried to remember Shiki's words on the definition of fire in Chemistry class.

_Fire……fire is energy released as light and heat……he called it……what was it……oxidation!_

_**Senrigan **__can see things because it feels the obstacles in the flow of air. Fire is not a material thing, it doesn't obstruct the air. That's why I can't see it. But I can actually _see _sound, because sound is a wave that travels through the air, so I can make the proper visualization with __**Senrigan**__. If I want to see heat………_

"Sensei! Tell me everything you know about heat!"

Shiki blinked, then sighed, then smiled. If Naruto had been able to see Shiki, he would have notice that his sensei's smile was rather sad.

"………took you long enough, boy."

* * *

Yet another week later, back on the rooftop where he met Chouji, Naruto meditated on the week's lessons. That was supposed to be his free day, but he had spent most of it with Shiki-sensei lecturing him on a branch of Physics his sensei called Thermodynamics.

His head hurt. BADLY.

Fortunately, Shiki was aware that he was teaching thermodynamics to a seven-year-old, so he stuck to the basics. Besides, it wasn't like _**Senrigan **_required any knowledge of formulas and mathematic calculations. In the end, Naruto understood what he needed to understand.

There was a difference between heat, temperature and thermal energy. Heat isn't something you have, because heat is energy "in motion;" energy being transferred from a hotter body to a colder one. This transference occurs because of a difference in temperature. Just like sound is caused by the motion of air particles in an orderly way, temperature is caused by random motions of particles. He could detect these motions (with enough chakra), but this would only allow him to detect the air's temperature. The problem was detecting the temperature of other things.

Thermal Energy is the internal energy present in a body in a state of thermodynamic equilibrium by virtue of its temperature (it had taken him pretty much the whole morning to get this). This energy is radiated by means of Thermal Radiation, which is electromagnetic radiation emitted from the surface of an object due to its temperature. Shiki had interrupted his ordinary Physics schedule to devote that week to explaining the electromagnetic spectrum to young Naruto, who was amazed by the idea of there being things beyond what the human eye can see.

However, the technical details didn't matter as much. The point was that, to develop heat…no, thermal radiation perception, he needed to learn Lightning Element Manipulation. Not fire, as one might be led to thinking, considering that this whole thing is about heat. With control over electricity, he could expand _**Senrigan **_to perceive electromagnetic radiation, which would allow him to see the full spectrum, including both infrared and visible light.

Needless to say, Naruto was depressed.

He wasn't going to learn Lightning Manipulation anytime soon, after all. Even Shiki agreed that his control over wind was astounding, even greater than his control over raw non-elemental chakra, as crazy as it sounds. However, developing a second element is a wholly different ordeal. Not even _**Kage Bunshin **_training could help much in this situation.

"Damn it………"

His body rested on the floor, but it was not relaxed in the slightest. His arms and legs were tense. He gritted his teeth and clenched his fists until his nails drew blood out of the palms.

It was the most painful aspect of his blindness. Being unable to cry, Naruto had no way to release that pent-up frustration, sadness and anger. Sure, he could start punching walls or something like that, but it just wasn't the same. That wasn't release; it was just cloaking the emotional pain with physical pain.

"DAMN IT ALL!!!!!"

He ignored the stinging pain of his right fist after it slammed the concrete floor. He ignored the masked looks of the ANBU who showed up in response to his little outburst. He ignored the first droplets of water that hit him like diminutive mosquitoes. He even ignored them when the drizzle became a downpour. The part of his mind that remained collected and aware of his surroundings noticed that the rain and the noise it caused completely ruined his wind-based perception via _**Senrigan**_, like white noise on a TV screen or interference in a radio. He had discovered a weakness of _**Senrigan**_.

Too bad he was too angry, sad and frustrated to care.

It was just not fair! Everything was going great! He was making progress with _**Hakkeshou**_, and he knew he would reach the goal line of 112 katas very soon. He was enjoying Shiki's classes (well, most of them) and he was learning all sorts of cool (and not so cool) things! He had a sensei and a nee-chan that cared for him and taught him things! He had _**Kage Bunshin **_and _**Fuujin Tesabaki**_! He had Hina-chan and the bastard! He had Mr. H and Itachi, even if he rarely saw the former and the latter was acting kinda quiet (as in, quieter than usual) lately.

A voice in the back of his mind reminded him of Ten-chan and Hana-chan, too, as well as Shiki-sensei's two-tailed talking cats.

Everything was great! Everything was too great! He had been happier in the months after losing his eyes than in his entire life before his seventh birthday.

"It's not fair……" He muttered. His nails cracked and fractured as he clawed at the concrete under him. Too tired to do anything, he just let go, in a way painfully reminiscent of how he had been just about to let go that rainy night before Hiashi and Hinata found him.

He didn't want to feel anything anymore. He hoped the rain could wash him away, to a world where the entire universe didn't conspire against him.

Like that, while his powerful natural defenses kicked in to protect him from the harsh weather, he drifted off to sleep.

* * *

Floating………

He was floating in the darkness.

Were his eyes opened? Were they closed? Did it make any difference anyway?

There was nothing but the dark. And the wet. Darkness all over. Wetness under him.

He was floating on some sort of slow stream, gently guided to Kami knows where.

There was also the dripping sound.

Drip. Drip. Drip.

A tiny leak that released a single droplet every second or so. The faint sound of the droplet falling on the endless stream was the only source of sound in this realm of absolute darkness.

Then came the warmth.

The further he was dragged by the stream, the warmer the air (?) around him became. The stream itself suffered the same effect, but the warm waters weren't uncomfortable. The air itself was more of a bother to him. It was like being in a hot spring, but worse. He felt as if the heat had a mind of its own and it wanted him to sweat to death. It was an oppressive feeling, like he was not wanted there. Surprisingly enough, it wasn't a familiar feeling. This sense of rejection was of a wholly different nature. It wasn't outright hatred……he couldn't really put it into words.

At some point, he felt his body stop moving. Perfectly still on the surface of the calm water, he let the heat ravage his skin and the indescribable feeling drill his soul.

**So…………my cage has come once more………**

The Eye.

Naruto could only look upwards and meet the terrifyingly powerful stare of The Eye, its bloody crimson like a flame that would consume his body and obliterate his very existence.

His body (?) paralyzed in absolute terror, which caused him to sink immediately, helping him realize that the stream was in fact quite shallow, enough for him not to fear drowning, even paralyzed as he was.

The Eye closed in on him, allowing Naruto to see a bit more of the being The Eye belonged to. However, he saw nothing but reddish orange. The Eye remained as incorporeal as always, as if its owner mocked him by not revealing itself.

**You are so small……so weak……so pathetically weak…………****I wish you didn't even exist on the first place, boy, but I'm not letting you throw yourself away so stupidly. Be thankful, for today is not the day you die. Rest and recover, human! Your presence here is an annoyance!**

And everything went completely dark. He wouldn't remember a thing.

* * *

A quiet moan warned the three people in the room of Naruto's awakening. Following a natural instinct rather than a real necessity, Naruto blinked a few times, even if there was no light to get adjusted to or real eyes that needed to be cleaned. He was already used to absolute blindness, so he immediately focused on his other senses to gain as much awareness of his surroundings as possible.

His hands told him he was on a soft surface, most likely a bed. The scents were very familiar, so it was very likely that he was in……

……he wasn't alone in his room. He quickly caught the three scents. He might not be an Inuzuka, but these three scents were too close and too familiar for him not to recognize them.

"Saya-neech-oahh!!!"

Hinata gasped quite loudly, but her voice wasn't nearly as loud as the resonant echo of the terrible slap Saya's right hand inflicted on Naruto's round face.

"Oooohhh……" Naruto moaned in pain as he clutched the reddened cheek with both hands and fell on his right side. Once again, his inability to cry proved to be a curse. Hinata was crying for the two of them, but there was no way for him to know that yet. She did try to move closer to console her friend, but Shiki's firm hand on her shoulder prevented it.

"Let her do this." He said quietly enough for only Hinata to hear it.

"What the fuck were you thinking!?" Saya inquired. Naruto discovered he actually preferred Saya's loud outbursts of anger. The hissing voice she was using in that moment for some reason made his chest really hurt. In the future, when he thought about it, he realized it made him think of a wounded animal. Even worse, a wounded mother who is ready to die to protect her offspring.

"Do you know how long you were out there!? Any other person would be in the hospital!!! I was worried when it began to rain, but I never thought you would be so fucking stupid………for Kami's sake, Naruto, if Hinata-chan hadn't found you……!!!"

"What's the problem?" Naruto defended himself with a weak voice. That slap had really hurt. "It's not like a little rain is going to kill **me**-"

Hinata shrieked and covered her eyes with her hands. Naruto cried in pain after the second slap.

"Don't you DARE talk to me like THAT, you little moronic prick!!!" Saya's tone became a bit louder, but it still wasn't the usual "angry Saya" tone. Naruto couldn't understand why it felt so different from every other time he had witnessed her wrath. "Do you really think you can ignore your health like that!? Do you really think I WILL LET YOU IGNORE YOUR HEALTH LIKE THAT!?"

Naruto wasn't really thinking his words. It was his disappointment, tiredness, frustration and pain speaking in his stead. That's the only reason he said what he said.

"Why do you even care? You're not my mother."

Hinata shrieked even louder this time. Shiki winced, fearing that Saya had finally broken the kid's neck. The third slap had been especially potent.

A long, uncomfortable silence followed. Hinata shivered, unsure of what to do or of why she was still there on the first place. After another exhausting day of boring and droning lessons, she had wanted to see her sun. She knew that the mere visage of Naruto's face would invigorate her and make her forget about the tiredness. She didn't find him at the Houraisan house, but she decided to wait. As they shared a cup of tea and some pastries, Saya mentioned Naruto's discoveries regarding _**Senrigan**_ and reason he wouldn't be able to develop it any further for a very long time. She told Hinata that Naruto had left the house in a daze, devastated and disillusioned, and she shared her worries for his sake. She had asked Hinata to do her part as Naruto's friend and console him in a way they, his teachers, could not do. Saya's words and the first raindrops sprung Hinata to action. Of course, when she found Naruto two hours later, all thoughts of offering him comfort, support and the presence of a friend who would listen disappeared like leaves washed away by the torrential downpour.

Naruto was in too much pain and too afraid to dare look up at Saya.

Saya? Well, she was shaking, even if she wasn't entirely sure of what exactly she was trying to hold back.

"I may not be your mother…………" She sobbed. The sound paralyzed Naruto. Saya was crying! "……but, damn it, I love you. So don't you dare tell me I cannot care! I thought you were better than that."

"……………I hate this."

Naruto's quiet, melancholic tone wiped away any traces of anger Saya might still have had. "…what?"

"I want to cry………but I can't……and it hurts…….here……" Naruto clutched his wet cheongsam over his heart. Saya felt tears forming in her eyes. She couldn't stop herself. She caught Naruto in a strong embrace, which he returned with all the strength with tiny little arms could muster.

"Then hug me, Naruto. Hug me, and I'll cry for you."

She turned her to look at Hinata, making a gesture that asked her to move closer. The young Hyuuga felt Shiki's hand releasing her shoulder, and the floodgates were opened.

"Naruto-kun!!!" Naruto actually winced a bit when Hinata's body rammed him and embraced him. "Naruto-kun, why did you do that!? I was so scared……" She couldn't say more. She rested her head on Naruto's left shoulder and cried at the same time Naruto rested his on Saya's chest.

"Don't forget it, Naruto: you're not alone anymore. That means your life is no longer yours. It means you now have to think of the feelings of others, the feelings of those that will be hurt if something happens to you……." Saya clutched Naruto even tighter. "Damn it, boy, I don't want you to die before I do! So stop being so fucking depressing! We'll cry for you! We'll be your eyes until you can see on your own! Don't make us worry like this! Just……just don't pull shit like this off ever again………"

Naruto buried his face on Saya's soft silk cheongsam. He hated the feeling of her tears on his hair and face.

"I'm sorry……"

"You damn better be!!!"

"I'm sorry, Saya-neechan………"

"I know……I know, Naruto………" She replied between sobs.

The three cried softly for ten more minutes or so. Saya was the first to calm down, followed by Naruto, who had to console a hopelessly teary Hinata for quite a while. Eventually, Hinata realized she was making a bit of a scene, so she let go of the boy, albeit reluctantly. It had been a while since she had been held like that. She had forgotten how good it felt to be hugged. However, even if she had mostly calmed down, she was still a bit worried about Naruto's well-being. She didn't know of his crazy healing powers, after all.

The boy stiffened a bit when he felt Hinata's small hand on his forehead, at the same time she placed the other hand on hers.

"You feel a little bit hot, Naruto-kun. I think you should rest."

And then it clicked.

Saya, Hinata and Shiki (who had chosen to stay away from the hugging and stuff) witnessed how Naruto's eyelids separated and his "eyes" widened at the same time his lips made a funny "O" shape.

"Naruto?" Saya inquired at the same time Hinata whispered an uneasy "Naruto-kun?"

"Wha……Hinata……"

"Y-Yes?" The little girl was a bit scared. Had something happened to Naruto?

"Wha……what did you just say?"

"Eh……"

Naruto grabbed Hinata's shoulders, or at least he tried. He smacked her chest on the first attempt.

"What did you say, Hina-chan!?" Naruto repeated in a rather demanding voice that scared the wits out of the poor (still) shy girl.

"A-A-Ano…..ehh……I said……you feel a bit warm……to the touch……I think……" Hinata closed her eyes. "Ithinkyoumighthaveafever!!!"

Keeping her eyes closed shut, Hinata waited for a reaction that didn't come. In fact, she only felt Naruto letting go of her shoulders. Opening her eyes, she found quite the unexpected sight.

Naruto's arms hung limply by his sides. That wasn't important, or unexpected, though. Hinata was more puzzled by the incredibly stupid grin on his face.

"Warm to the touch……warm……touch……" Naruto raised his right hand and touched his forehead. "……touch……contact………THAT'S IT!!!!!"

"Kyaaa!!!" went Hinata when Naruto tackled her and embraced her with such strength that the two ended up on the wooden floor. Hinata didn't even have time to complain, cry, shriek or stutter before she felt a big, wet kiss on her left cheek.

"Hina-chan, **I****LOVE YOU**!!!! You're the best!!!!"

Leaving a catatonic Hyuuga on the floor, Naruto effortlessly jumped up and made a sequence of hand seals at astounding speed (such was his excitement).

"_**Fuuton! Fuujin Senrigan no Jutsu**_!!!"

His world of darkness exploded in sudden bursts of white as his brain processed the new information and displayed the position of every single object and creature within range. This allowed him to quickly locate the place where his sensei stood idly, watching his antics with an amused look.

"Shiki-sensei, I got it!"

Shiki raised an eyebrow. "What….exactly did you get, boy?"

"I know how to see heat…I mean, thermal energy! Without Lightning Manipulation!!!"

Shiki raised the other eyebrow. "………really?"

"Yeah!!! Come on, I need your help!!!"

Ten seconds later, there were only females in the room. Shiki and Naruto would lock themselves in the study room for quite some time. Saya watched the closed door for a while before sighing, smiling and turning to look at Hinata, who hadn't moved an inch.

"Yep, definitely Himeko's daughter. Only her offspring could possibly get THAT red on the face."

There was no response from the Hyuuga heiress.

"Are you unconscious? I'd check your pupils, but, umm……well, you know. I take it it's the first time you're……showered with such affection, huh?" She smirked. "Get used to it. Naruto is quite……effusive with his emotions most of the time."

Hinata's outwards response was a bunch of incoherent babble. "Inner Hinata" had a slightly more……complete response.

_Get used to it? Sure, I can do that. No problem._

* * *

Heat transfer occurs in one of three ways: conduction, convection and radiation. The most efficient and complete method of perceiving thermal energy would be by detecting and interpreting the energy every single object radiates. However, it had already been stated that Naruto would require a very good grasp of Lightning-nature chakra manipulation to do this.

Conduction is, basically, the transfer of thermal energy from a region of higher temperature to a region of lower temperature through direct contact, which is what happened when Hinata touched Naruto's warmer forehead (Hinata mistook this for a mild fever, but Saya had already discovered that Naruto's natural temperature is slightly above the ordinary). Convection is the transfer of thermal energy by fluid circulation.

Convection was Naruto's answer.

When a heat source (like, let's say, every single object with temperature above absolute zero) is within a fluid (like, let's say, the air), the object transfers heat to the fluid. When a fluid receives heat, it becomes less dense and rises. The surrounding, cooler fluid then moves to replace it. This cooler fluid is then heated and the process repeats indefinitely, forming a convection fluid current. Naruto already could detect air currents with _**Senrigan**_. Therefore, he already had something to work with. By analyzing the characteristics of the air current, he could infer the temperature of the object that provoked its creation. This was Naruto's new challenge: figuring out how to obtain the estimate of a temperature based from the information _**Senrigan **_acquires from the convection currents.

Unfortunately, the rate of convection between an object and the surrounding air depends on many variables other than the temperature itself, like the object's geometry and whether it's moving or not, and at which velocity. Since Naruto couldn't make his jutsu perform advanced mathematics and engineering calculations automatically, he had only one other choice: plain, simple empiric data acquisition. Basically, Naruto needed to measure the temperature of an object (with a thermometer, of course) and then use _**Senrigan **_to see the type of convection current the object created. In this way, his brain created a "database" of sorts which associated specific air currents with specific temperatures and objects. Obviously, this was a never-ending process, since there are infinite possible values of temperature and an immense amount of possible heat sources. However, it was better than nothing. If anything, it taught Naruto patience and discipline. Just like Saya's piano lessons!

The day after the incident that led to Naruto's new agenda was a Monday. While he would have liked to get started on his new little project as soon as possible, he had a little problem: he needed someone who would make the temperature measurements for him. After all, if he could use a thermometer, he wouldn't have the need to go through that whole hassle. He guessed either Saya or Hinata would help him, but the former was busy training the latter. In addition, Shiki had "some business" to do at a town called "Port City," or something like that, so there would be no lessons for at least two days.

Therefore, Naruto was roaming the streets of Konoha once again. He had little trouble navigating through the Hidden Village, much to his pleasure. It was good that Konoha had so many landmarks that were easy to distinguish just by their shape.

Naruto knew classes at the Academy were over for the day, so he was roof-jumping his way to the Uchiha District in hopes of meeting the idiot. Curiously enough, Naruto found him on the way there, in a particularly busy shopping street. How did he recognize Sasuke with his incomplete _**Senrigan**_? Simple enough.

"Heeh, that duck-butt head is unmistakable."

From his position above, Naruto studied the scenery before planning an approach. After all, greeting Sasuke without a little joke was just so not-Naruto, right?

"Naruto-kun."

"WAAAAHHH!!!!" _How the hell did he do that!?_

Those were Naruto's thoughts as Itachi grabbed him by his neck and pulled him down with him to where Sasuke was……hiding?

Certainly, from his stance and position Naruto could infer that Sasuke was hiding behind the corner of a back alley and studied the large crowded street beyond as if looking for something.

"So, what are we playing?"

"SHHHH!!!!" Both Uchihas……shushed Naruto.

"Uh, okay……" The blind blond mumbled, with a pout for added cuteness effect. Itachi pushed Naruto down, making him crouch behind Sasuke at the same time Itachi did the same thing behind him.

"We're in the middle of a pursuit." Itachi "explained" at the same time he offered some Pocky (Green Tea) to Naruto. Naruto's "eyes" widened a bit.

"A pursuit? Who are you after?" Naruto gladly took a stick and munched on it. "Hey, not bad!"

Itachi allowed himself to smile a little bit. "As a matter of fact, we happen to be the ones pursued, Naruto-kun."

"Eh? How come?"

"Wild beasts." Sasuke muttered, and Naruto detected obvious traces of nervousness and fear in his tone.

"Wild beasts? In Konoha? Are you guys serious?"

"VERY serious." Itachi insisted, his _**Sharingan**_ swirling wildly. "Their senses are heightened beyond normal standards and they possess an uncanny ability to track their prey. Once they find a target, they relentlessly pursuit until they have it under their claws and will never, NEVER, let go. They have boundless stamina and voracious hunger. Their voice can drive away other creatures and make sure nothing stands in between them and their prey. They are fearsome, Naruto-kun. Perfect predators."

Naruto gulped. Anything that elicited such a reaction from **Uchiha Itachi **had to be fearsome indeed.

"And they are here, in Konoha?" Naruto asked. He didn't even notice he was whispering, too. "And they are after you guys?"

"They're close, I can feel them!" Sasuke whimpered. Itachi nodded in response to Naruto's inquiry.

"Yes, Naruto-kun. You are very fortunate to not have caught their interest. I suggest you leave before you get caught in all this."

"Hell no!" Naruto shook his head eagerly. "We're friends! Friends stick together! I'm with you, guys! B-But, shouldn't we get help? I mean, call the ANBU or something?"

Under any other circumstance, Sasuke would have appreciated Naruto's gesture of loyalty. Too bad he was too nervous to do that.

"I think I see them!"

"Crap!" Naruto cursed. "Itachi, where are they? **What **are they!?" He was getting a bit nervous, too. His heart was beating wildly.

Itachi rested a hand on Naruto's shoulder and moved closer to the edge of the wall to take a look.

"Naruto, these fearsome creatures……these demon-spawns……they……they are……"

"**KYAAAAHHHH!!!! SASUKE-KUUUUUUN!!!!!!**"

"**OH, LOOK, GIRLS!!!! IT'S ITACHI-KUN!!!!!!**"

"**KYAAAA!!!!!**"

"FANGIRLS!!!!! RUUUUUUUNNNNN!!!!!!" Sasuke screamed like a man possessed before leaping to the nearest roof.

"What the he-WHOA!!!!" Naruto exclaimed as Itachi grabbed him and jumped after Sasuke. Several houses away, the genius Uchiha dropped Naruto so that he ran on his own.

"What the hell, Itachi!? They're just girls!!!"

"They're NOT 'JUST GIRLS'!!!!" Sasuke yelled. "THEY'RE **FAN**GIRLS!!!!"

"Uhhh……I don't get it. There's a difference?"

"Less talking, more running away!!!" Itachi insisted.

Twenty minutes later, Naruto had to agree with Itachi on one thing: those "fangirls" were quite relentless. He still didn't get why they were chasing the Uchiha siblings, but whatever. It was kinda fun!

"Nii-san!!! Shouldn't we try _**Henge**_ or something?"

"Can you do it?"

"Uhh……I think."

Itachi rolled his eyes. Sasuke looked down sheepishly, but a far cry of "Sasuke-kyuuuun, you're so cuuuute!!!" made him shiver and focus on channeling all his energy to his legs.

"What's _**Henge**_?" Naruto asked. He was sure Shiki had mentioned it at some point in time. He just didn't remember. However, his voice was ignored.

"Sasuke, some of those girls also happen to be ninjas. It wouldn't work."

"Curses!!!"

"Who the hell says 'curses' nowadays!?"

"SHUT UP, DOBE!!!"

"MAKE ME, TEME!!!!"

"Don't make throw you to the mob, Sasuke!"

Sasuke 'eeped'. "You wouldn't……you would."

However, Itachi's wheels were turning. He had a plan.

"Sasuke! Turn into Naruto!!!"

"Eh?"

"JUST DO IT!!!"

"Ah, uh……come on……_**Henge**_!!!"

A puff of smoke later, there were two Narutos running behind Itachi. The original Naruto did notice the changes in Sasuke's shape: the hair, the face, even the bulk of the body and the clothes……

"AWESOME!!!!! That's _**Henge**_!? It kicks ASS!!!"

Sasuke-Naruto smirked smugly, in a very un-Naruto-ish way. The fundamental jutsu hadn't even been taught at the Academy (yet). He actually learned it from his mother. Sasuke's expression brightened even more when Itachi approved of the transformation with a nod.

"Keep going, Sasuke!" He said as he reached a halt and forced Naruto to stop in front of him.

"Right!" Sasuke exclaimed and jumped past the two towards the next tiled roof. Naruto eyed warily the hand seals Itachi was making.

"Uhh…what……"

"I'm turning you into Sasuke, Naruto-kun. Good luck!"

Before Naruto could react……or complain, there was another puff of smoke, and Naruto had become an identical copy of seven-years-old Uchiha Sasuke. Itachi had already used _**Shunshin**_ to get the hell away.

"Eh? Uhh……what am I supposed to do?"

"It's Sasuke-kun!!!!"

"We caught up with him!!!"

"Where's Itachi-kun!?"

"WHO CARES, IT'S KAWAII-SASUKE!!!!"

Naruto sweatdropped at the rapidly approaching mob of squealing, cackling girls from ages 7 to 27. When they got within a stone throw's distance, they all crouched as one.

"WEEEEE……….GOT YOU!!!!!"

Naruto's fundamental sense of self-preservation made him jumped away at the sight of dozens of females lunging at him like hungry cheetahs (an insult to cheetahs everywhere). He winced at the sight of their many bodies crashing together on the roof where he had been standing just an instant before.

_That would have killed me!!! _Or at least it would have broken his transformation.

"You girls are scary!!! I'm out of here!!!!"

And the chase was on……again. Fortunately, he got a very good head start thanks to the time it took the fangirls (and fanwomen) to crawl out of the self-made hole they had created. Unfortunately, Naruto's newly discovered fear of fangirls caused him to make a mistake.

Not looking ahead of him.

For this reason, he didn't notice that there wasn't a next roof to jump to.

"WAAAAHHH!!!!"

The loud splash was followed by yet another cacophony of "KYAAAA!!!!!"'s. However, these were scared "KYAAAA!!!!!"'s, not fangirl "KYAAAA!!!!!"'s.

Naruto happened to fall into the Hyuuga Clan's communal hot springs during the Branch Families' Ladies Only Hour.

"HOOOOOOTTTT!!!!!" A soaking wet Uzumaki Naruto emerged from the hot waters, his transformation into an Uchiha long dispelled. Once most of his body was out of the water, he made an assessment of the situation. He reached several conclusions very quickly.

One: being an Uchiha? Not worth the hassle.

Two: he was in a hot spring.

Three: the hot spring mentioned in statement two was packed with women.

Four: NAKED women.

Five: according to his very own "Uzumaki Scroll on All Things Female," most women did not enjoy being seen in the nude. Saya was the only known exception (he'd eventually add Anko to that list). Not that she **enjoyed **being watched, she just didn't give a damn.

Six and last: he was **SCREWED**.

Had he been twice his age, he would have cursed his blindness for not being able to enjoy one last vision of glory before being sent to the afterlife.

"Ummm………yo!"

"RUTO!!!!"

Three full seconds later, he was been tackled by one very naked Hyuuga Hanabi, who had, until then, been undergoing a very boring first experience in a hot spring. Sure, the water was warm and fun, but there was nothing else to do. In other words, Naruto was her salvation. Just like she was Naruto's. Call it mutual benefits.

"RUTO!!!! Let's play!!!!" Very naked Hanabi pretty much demanded, clinging to his very bestest friend for dear life and grinning in a way that should be impossible for a Hyuuga. The other very naked women had already forgotten about Naruto's unusual entrance, as they were grinning and whispering amongst themselves.

"Awww…aren't they cute like that?"

"And it seems he's in good terms with Hiashi-sama!"

"Not Hiashi-sama! It's Mr. H!!!"

Round of Laughter.

"Seriously, Hanabi-chan's so cute when she's all smiles like that……"

"She really likes the boy……"

"Well, he's actually very polite and nice when you talk to him……"

"Really?"

"Yeah……"

"……it's a shame he is…you know……"

"Yeah………"

And so on. Naruto was quite unsure of what to do, especially when very naked Hanabi was making obvious attempts at ripping his clothes off.

"Clothes off! In hot springs, clothes get off!!!"

Two tall and very naked Hyuuga females in their mid-twenties approached the pair of infants.

"You heard Hanabi-sama, Naruto-kun. If you are staying to play, you have to obey the rules."

A minute later, Naruto was only in his briefs. One very naked pubescent Hyuuga with shoulder-length black hair voiced the thoughts of most of the present.

"Oh my……"

"Where did you get those muscles, boy!?"

"Ruto!!! Play!!!!"

"Uhh……I…well…" He scratched the back of his head. For some reason, he felt uncomfortable answering this question. "I do physical and Taijutsu training with Saya-neechan every morning………Saya-neechan says I have lots of stamina, so she works me pretty hard, heheh……"

Cue undecipherable whispering.

"Stamina, huh……" An older (early twenties) very naked Hyuuga with waist-length ebony hair shot him a look that earned her more than a few elbows on her sides. "What!?"

Another very naked teenage Hyuuga with slightly curly chestnut brown short hair approached the one who had made the original comment.

"How do you think he'll look like when he grows up?"

Cue giggles and even more whispering. Naruto, for some reason, felt like a mouse in a snake pit.

"Ruuuutooooo……" Hanabi whined. "Play!!!!"

"Well, he kind of looks like the Yondaime, if you think about it……"

"Hey, right, just a little……oh my………"

Naruto's danger sense blared quite loudly in his mind when he noticed all the very naked Hyuuga females moving closer and closer……

"RUTO!!!! PLAY!!!!" Hanabi suddenly tackled him with enough strength to send them both splashing down on the hot water.

He pouted when he noticed the women's laughter once he emerged from the water, but he couldn't keep the same face for long. In fact, he kinda felt like laughing, too. He also wished he could see Hana-chan's face. He was sure she had the loveliest smile.

It was actually more of a grin, but it was certainly lovely.

* * *

Meanwhile, outside the Houraisan residence, Saya's head suddenly jerked upwards, looking at the sky. Hinata and the two summoned nekomata (appointed by Shiki to help Saya with the house chores while he was gone), shot odd looks at the Taijutsu Goddess.

"Perverted……senses……TINGLING!!!!!"

Shin raised an eyebrow. "You have **perverted** senses?"

Hinata shrieked and pointed a quivering finger at the two-tailed black cat. "Y-Y-YOU CAN TALK!?"

"Yup!" Saya answered. "Got them from reading all that smut."

"And for being such a crazy sex addict."

"Yeah, that too."

Chen grinned at Hinata. "……boo!"

Saya and Shin watched Hinata faint. "That was very mean, Chen." Saya scolded the hyper Nekomata.

"Tee-hee, couldn't help it!"

"No, really, **perverted senses**?" Shin insisted.

"Yeah!" Saya shouted excitedly. "Somewhere out there Naruto is winning at life, I can feel it!!!" She wiped away a tear. "Children grow so quickly these days……"

"O-kaaayy……"

Chen was standing by Hinata's side as she regained her senses. "Uh……what……what happened?"

"Yo!"

"Gyaaaaahhhh!!!"

There was a thump.

"Damn it, Chen!!!"

"But that was so funny, nee-chan!!!"

* * *

**Author's Notes: **I'm back! Yay to me!

Okay, so, what's up? I moved to Sweden, as I stated in my profile page (Göteborg, to be precise) and I've already managed to make some sort of a schedule, so I'm slowly getting back to writing and doing other things I normally do when I have time. Still, I don't think this chapter is one of my best. I really don't like how the scene with Shika and Chouji turned out, for example. At some parts I feel the chapter kind of rushed. I guess I just have to get back to work on my technique and my style. Even a short pause can have a negative effect on the quality of one's work.

There's an interesting mixture of funny moments and angsty drama here. I hope I pulled it off, but I guess you'll be the judges of that. By the way, I love writing Hanabi, and I love what I'm doing with her. After all, the only thing about her we know from canon is that she's younger than Hinata but better at _**Jyuuken**_. The rest is pretty much fanon and free for writers like me to mold her any way we want.

A little Sasuke and Itachi for the masses. You people really want to see them in this story, don't you? So many reviews commenting on these two. Too bad it won't last much longer, at least not the way it's been so far. Not as much Hinata, but she'll only start to really take the spotlight after this little "Uchiha" arc ends.

Anyway, next chapter! The end of an era. Period. There won't be much humor for a while. I apologize in advance for that.

* * *

**Narutionary**

_**Bijuu **_(尾獣): Tailed Beast. The label given to the nine greatest supernatural beasts in the known world. While they're labeled as "demons," their true nature is not fully understood. The only certain facts is that they are immensely powerful and they possess incredible amounts of chakra, hundreds or even thousands of times more than the strongest shinobi (the Nine-Tailed Demon Fox is said to be composed almost entirely of super high-density chakra). It is also known that these beasts have each a different number of tails, from one to nine, and it's this characteristic that is used to give them individual labels, as it is also a measure of their power.

_**Jinchuuriki **_(人柱力, Power of Human Sacrifice): The label given to humans (not necessarily Shinobi) within whom a tailed beast has been sealed. A Jinchuuriki's physical features often show minimal characteristics akin to those of the beast they contain. The life of a _**Jinchuuriki **_is always painful and lonely, for they carry a burden very few (maybe only other _**Jinchuuriki**_) can truly understand. However, in the same way, a particularly active _**Jinchuuriki **_certainly possesses the power to make history and change the world, as clearly shown by the legendary Uzumaki Naruto, who met each and every single _**bijuu **_and _**jinchuuriki **_at one point of his life, and even befriended most of them.

_**Karyuu **_(火龍): Fire Dragon. An intermediate fire-elemental Taijutsu style conceived by Houraisan Saya. It's gained a reputation for the harsh, outright cruel training methods trainees undergo to learn its more advanced techniques. The Taijutsu artist using _**Karyuu**_ is as wild and unpredictable as an all-consuming conflagration, but do not be mistaken. The practitioner of _**Karyuu **_is not a berserker. He is always in control, for the fundamental idea of the style is controlling one's own "inner fire." The Taijutsu artist becomes the fire and, as such, is aware that losing control would be dangerous for both himself and his comrades.

_**Karyuu**_ emphasizes speed, period. It is faster than even most wind-elemental styles. It mostly involves rapid strikes with wide arcs and swipes (which explains why practitioners of _**Karyuu**_ often also learn how to use short bladed weapons) and many maneuvers involve spinning around the opponent. The more advanced techniques also require knowledge of anatomy and pressure points, as _**Karyuu **_users often strikes particular spots for maximum pain or injecting fire-nature chakra in the enemy's body for a variety of (very) harmful effects.

While Houraisan Saya was the inventor of the style, the three master techniques of _**Karyuu**_ were not invented by her, but by the two most famous practitioners of the style. Hyuuga Himeko, the _**Shirahime **_(白姫, White Princess) conceived the theories behind these techniques, but her early death prevented her from fully developing these ideas. It would be her daughter, the legendary partner of the Golden Wind God, the _**Hourai no Guren no Megami **_(蓬莱の紅蓮女神, Crimson Goddess of Hourai), Hyuuga Hinata, who would take her mother's unfinished theories and turn them into the two master moves and Hinata's ultimate fire-based Taijutsu technique. It is also believed that Uzumaki Naruto knew at least the most basic katas of this style, but he never showed to possess any knowledge of the most advanced techniques (just like he never showed any talent with fire-based techniques or styles).

[_Text extracted from __**Encyclopedia Shinobi**__, Volume 8_

_  
**Yokazeryuu **_(夜風竜): Night Breeze Dragon. An intermediate wind-elemental Taijutsu style conceived by Houraisan Saya. It emphasizes flexibility, acrobatics, secrecy, subtlety, silence and awareness of one's surroundings. Just like the wind, the practitioner of this style does not relent in the face of an obstacle, instead moving around it and reaching from another direction. They focus as much in the storm's fury as it does on air's invisibility and its perennial presence in even the most secure places. Training in this style mostly involves practicing acrobatics, flips, leaps and balancing, which eventually results in blindingly fast blows and a nigh unmatched throwing speed.

The katas for this style are high and graceful like the wind itself. The martial artist learns to regain his composure and balance faster than his opponents and possess painstaking balance. He learns to understand the way the opponent reacts to his attacks and guides the flow of battle in this way. He learns how to make his steps silent, seeming barely to touch the ground. He learns how to flow beneath and away from all but the fastest attacks. The practitioner of _**Yokazeryuu **_becomes the wind: a master of fast-paced combat, ferocious strikes and impossible subtlety.

Mastery of this style is proved by learning the _**Kumo Hokousha Houhou **_(雲歩行者方法, Cloud Walker Method). With this technique, the martial artist can support himself on falling leaves, skipping from leaf to leaf without falling or even dash up smoke trails, using (or creating) small updrafts of air to support himself.

Houraisan Saya is widely recognized as the creator of this style. Besides her, the two most notorious practitioners of _**Yokazeryuu **_are the legendary _**Hourai no Kiniro Fuujin **_(蓬莱の金色風神, Golden Wind God of Hourai), Uzumaki Naruto and the lovely (and deadly) _**Kiniro Kaze no Hanayome **_(金色風の花嫁, Bride of the Golden Wind), Hyuuga Hanabi.

On a side note, Hanabi openly disliked that title, just not for the reasons most people would think.

[_Text extracted from __**Encyclopedia Shinobi**__, Volume 16_

* * *

**Ju****tsu List**

_**Henge no Jutsu **_(変化の術, E-rank, Supplementary): Transformation Technique. The user assumes the appearance of another person, animal or object. This is one of the three basic jutsu taught at the Ninja Academy. Pretty much every ninja knows this jutsu.

_**Katon: Goukakyuu no Jutsu **_(火遁: 豪火球の術, C-rank, Offensive, Short range [0-5 m): Great Fireball Technique. The user exhales and creates a huge ball of flame in front of him.

* * *

**Naruto's Training Schedule (Pre-Academy)**

**Mornings (Monday - Saturday)**

**6:45 AM: **Wake up. Wash face. Change clothes

**7:00 AM: **Breakfast

**7:30 AM: **_**Hakkeshou **_warm-up

**8:00 AM: **Taijutsu

**11:00 AM: **Scouting and Stealth (M/W/F) or Perception (T/Th/Sat)

**12:00 M: **Lunch Break

**Afternoons (M/Tu/W/Th/F/Sat)**

**2:00 PM: **Mathematics/Mathematics/Military Geography/Mathematics/Military Intelligence/Mathematics

**3:30 PM: **Military Strategy/Military Tactics/Military Logistics/Military Organization /Military Intelligence/Military Training

**4:30 PM: **Break

**5:30 PM: **Military History/Politics/Economy/Politics/Economy/Military Intelligence

**6:30 PM: **Physics/Chemistry/Free Time/Chemistry/Free Time/Free Time

**7:30 PM: **Dinner

**Sundays are free!**


	9. Ephemeral Words under the Crimson Moon

**Disclaimer: **Ok, you know this. I don't own Naruto. God, this is so pointless………

* * *

_**Phantasmagoria of Dichromatic Eyes**_

**Chapter 6**

**Ephemeral Words under the Crimson Moon – Night of Murder**

"_There is no other way…………"_

_A hellish roar resonated in the walls of the small and quite concealed cave. At the far end of the cave, burning candles placed at specific points offered the only illumination; weak and flickering like the resolve of the three men. Shadows danced over their grim faces, making them look like sepulchral apparitions from a realm of bleakness. The three scanned the scattered stack of papers lying randomly on the slab of solid rock in front of them, desperately looking for any hints in its contents that would help them deny the horrible truth declared by the tallest of the three. Several yards behind them, too far to be touched by the weak yellowish flames of the candles, a short woman shivered. At the same time, another roar. It was incredible how the mighty beast's roars could he heard (felt) so clearly despite the considerable distance that separated it from that place._

_It was a cold day. However, Saya wasn't sure that was the reason of her shivering. She winced, though. The cold certainly was getting to her wound which had yet to heal. She unconsciously brought her right hand up to her left shoulder._

"_Minato."_

_Shiki got no response. Looking up and to his right, his eyes narrowed at the visage of the Yondaime Hokage. His lively eyes were gone, to be replaced by a pair of pale orbs that lacked luster. He was tired. Everyone was tired._

_Or dead._

_Jiraiya was leading Konoha's defenses, aided by the ANBU. Either the Fourth Hokage or the Third to his right would have to take the Toad Sannin's place soon._

"_Minato."_

_Still no response. He guessed the blonde Hokage was doing what Shiki himself had tried until a moment before. However, Shiki knew it was pointless, and he knew the blonde was aware of that, too. It was __**their **__theory. Rushed and convoluted (and probably inefficient as hell), but the point was, they knew the predicted results……as well as the prerequisites. Shiki had offered his knowledge and advice, but the Yondaime had pretty much developed the whole thing. Therefore, the Yondaime knew the harsh truth better than anyone else._

"_Arashi!"_

_A flicker of life returned to the Fourth's eyes, and he turned to look at the shorter Houraisan. Shiki would have been amused in any other situation. The boy was so used to being called by his nickname that he didn't even respond to his real name._

"_What is it?" If Shiki didn't know him better, he would have thought he was actually annoyed._

"_There's no way around it, and you know it." As usual, Shiki stated the cold, hard truth._

_Saya watched the three men from afar, staring at their backs with tired eyes. There was no point in interrupting them. She knew almost absolutely nothing about seals, unless they were Houraisan Body Seals. She possessed unparalleled knowledge of __**Bijuu**__ and __**Jinchuuriki**__, but Shiki knew pretty much everything there was to know, too. So, she couldn't help, but she could feel the aura of utter defeat in their expressions._

_It was frightening, really, watching those three men whom she acknowledged as truly powerful, overwhelmed by something they just couldn't defeat._

_But, then again, what could possibly defeat the mightiest of the Tailed Beasts?_

'Probably only the Death God itself._' Saya mused._

_Unfortunately for her, __**that was precisely the point**_

"_You know what you have to do, Arashi. Let us give you time." Shiki declared, before shooting a tired glance at the Third Hokage. "Let's go, Saru."_

_Alarms blared in Saya's head when she saw her husband and the Third turn around and walk towards her and the cave's exit._

"……_Shiki?"_

_Shiki only squeezed her left hand for a split instant as he passed by her side. Saya's eyes widened considerably._

"_Whe-where are you going?" Her voice was half and octave higher. Shiki didn't even turn to look at her._

"_Isn't it obvious? We're going to stall the fox so that Hokage-sama can prepare himself to do what has to be done."_

_Saya noticed the way the Third Hokage slightly turned his head to shoot a sad look at Minato's back. She also noticed the way Sarutobi's fists clenched and the way his jaw tightened before looking away. She didn't like what she was seeing. She didn't like what she was hearing either._

"_Stall………NO!!!"_

_Before he could avoid her, Saya had seized his left hand with both of hers, and clutched it against her chest. The look on her face almost hurt him. She actually looked her apparent age: immature, confused, defenseless………desperate. Her olive eyes glimmered in a way he hadn't seen for too long……or not long enough._

"_Shiki." _

_Shiki silently thanked Sarutobi for the chance to avoid looking at those eyes. Not like the Third's old and defeated expression was any better._

"_I'm going to see some people………just in case." He muttered before disappearing. In any other situation, Shiki would have admired the Hokage's flawless execution of _**Shunshin no Jutsu**

_Shiki actually felt his wife shuddering after hearing those words. The Nine-Tails' roar in the distance didn't help. The Houraisan male's gratitude towards the old Hokage faded like ashes in the wind._

"_Don't go………" She pleaded and Shiki felt the incredible urge to comply. It wasn't like he wanted to face the fox; he wasn't suicidal. Besides, she knew exactly why Saya was so desperate: because she couldn't join him. Had she been able to, she would have been the one dragging him to the heat of battle._

"_Saya………I have to help."_

"_NO, YOU DON'T!!!"_

_Shiki closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He knew that his wife was just speaking out of concern for his wellbeing, so he forgave her._

"_You can't go, not without me!!!"_

_Saya's husband looked past his wife's shoulder. The Fourth seemed to be in his own little world, oblivious to the drama occurring behind him._

"_Saya, Yukina will help me."_

_Shiki winced at the glare he got from his wife. '_Okay, worse choice of an answer **ever**._' He concluded. He was desperately looking for a way to assure Saya enough for her to let go (after all, he just couldn't pull himself off her colossally strong grasp) when a female voice interrupted them._

"_Sa-Saya-sama!!!"_

_Wearing the standard pink attire and scared out of her wits, the shaking young nurse opened her mouth again……_

_The Kyuubi's roar interrupted her, followed by an explosion that smashed the air around them and the earth under their feet like an earthquake. Everything shook. The nurse shrieked and held to the mouth of the cavern for death life. Shiki pulled his wife in a hug, which was ridiculous, considering that his wife was far stronger than him. Behind them, Namikaze Minato clutched the stone slab with his two hands and stood still, unshakeable._

_When the tremor faded and it became safe to move, the nurse slumped down on her knees and cried inconsolably. She had had enough. She had seen too much. The roars of the demon made her soul scream. The visage of the Hyuuga and the Uchiha stupid enough to try to use their _**Kekkei Genkai **_on the Kitsune had forced her to empty the contents of her stomach. Their liquefied eyes pouring out of swollen crimson sockets like boiling liquid lead was the most horrible thing she had ever seen……until she saw the Aburame devoured by their own bugs from the inside out. The Inuzukas' dogs whimpered and struggled until they broke free and disappeared in the forests of Konoha. The Inuzukas themselves seemed to lose control of their bodies and minds, screaming and scratching their burning skins in agony before entering an incontrollable feral state. After watching what happened to the two most notorious clans of Konohagakure, the Yamanaka Clan was smart enough not to try their family techniques on the Nine-Tailed Fox._

_The great clans, the pride and joy of Konoha, crumbled and became utterly useless in front of the omnipotence of the great Kyuubi no Youko. Those not associated with any clan, family technique or Bloodline Limit actually seemed to fare better……which is an overstatement by itself. Nothing hurt the beast. They could only stall him and delay the inevitable. Nobody knew why the beast was so intent in reaching the walls of Konoha. Nobody cared. As far as they knew, they were already dead. Only Jiraiya, the Fourth Hokage and Houraisan Saya had been able to actually make the Kitsune complain, even if he/she/it didn't seem hurt in the slightest. Only those three: not the Third, not Hyuuga Hiashi, not any Uchiha, not anyone else._

_The nurse cried. She wanted to get as far away as possible, and she had every intention of doing that. However, she at least wanted to relay the message._

"_Sa-Saya-sama……" She called again. Her voice reeked desperation. The moment she felt the other woman's eyes on hers, she spoke again, eager to get away from that place. It was too close to the battlefield……everywhere was too close._

"……_she's in labor."_

_Shiki felt his wife stiffen in his arms. He also felt movement behind him._

_The Fourth Hokage was looking at Shiki, and the look on his eyes told the Seal Master everything he needed to know. The fatalistic expression on his hardened face was the face of a man who had accepted his destiny. Shiki quickly put two and two together, Yondaime's decision and the nurse's words._

_Minato had made a choice. History was about to be written._

_Shiki took Saya outside the cave with him. He didn't want to see Minato cry._

* * *

Finishing his Eight Trigrams Palm katas, Naruto steadied his legs and let go a long sigh, reveling in the feel of the air feeling his lungs. If anybody asked him, he would admit that neither Hinata nor Hanabi nor the Idiot was his best friend. The very air around him had claimed that title. 

Of course, he was aware that such an answer would only make people think he was crazy. Even if it was true. _**Senrigan **_was progressing slowly, but at least it was progressing at all. He knew exactly what he had to do; it was only a matter of doing it. He would take his time, certain that the final result would be worth the effort. There was also _**Tesabaki**_. Naruto loved practicing with that jutsu. While he could lift almost three dozen kunai (blunt; he still wasn't allowed to get even close to real kunai) and keep them afloat simultaneously, exerting precise control over their movements was a wholly different matter. Toying with the paper cranes had been easy (and fun): they were a lot lighter and he could just move them around randomly. Moving kunai, well……he just couldn't multitask to that level. He could release volleys in a specific direction. He could also gather the kunai in groups and fire each group at a different target. He wanted to be able to fire each and every single projectile separately. He wasn't sure he'd ever be able to do such a thing, though.

Still, he enjoyed playing with flying projectiles.

"Naruto."

The boy straightened his shoulders and turned around to offer his best smile to his morning sensei. He didn't really need to turn around, of course; _**Senrigan**_ grants all-around vision, after all. However, he was quite aware Saya liked to be treated with respect and affection. He didn't want to be seen as a rude bastard who didn't bother to "look" at the face of whoever he talked to……and Saya had mentioned more than once that she liked to see him smile.

"Saya-neechan! Ready for Taijutsu!"

Taijutsu Training so far had consisted of him trying his _**Hakkeshou **_against his sensei, who corrected his faults and offered a few tips here and there while she wiped the ground with him effortlessly. He knew his katas were perfect. Saya's corrections and advice were more on the lines of how he was supposed to fight: how to avoid unnecessary motions, how to avoid becoming predictable, how to detect flaws in the opponent's defense and how to use them to gain an advantage.

"Naruto, we're done with _**Hakkeshou**_."

"……eh?" Eight Trigrams Palm was the only form of combat he knew. Therefore, Naruto simply couldn't understand what Saya meant. Without _**Hakkeshou**_, his Taijutsu was nothing but a wild and clumsy form of street brawling. After months of practicing the smooth, flowing, elegant style, going back to the old self-made pseudo-Taijutsu of his previous "personal training" felt almost dirty.

"Naruto, _**Hakkeshou**_ is a martial arts style. You don't intend to be a martial artist; you intend to be a ninja. Taijutsu and Martial Arts are not the same thing. However, Eight Trigrams Palm was a means for you to understand the principles of motion and combat. It helped you become something more than a simple brawler. It helped you become a martial artist. It's time you take the next level: you need to become a Taijutsu Artist."

It was the beginning of the third week of the second month of the year. It took him three and a half months to learn and master 112 _**Hakkeshou**_ katas. Saya acknowledged the boy's enthusiasm and thirst for learning. It was time for him to climb up to the next stage.

"Therefore, you're going to learn a more advanced style. A real Taijutsu style."

Naruto possesses something that could be called "subjective memory selectivity." Basically, Naruto only memorizes what he wants to memorize. Even then, it's not completely, one-hundred-percent efficient. Most of Saya's lengthy discourse flowed straight through Naruto's head. Fortunately, the words were properly filtered and the boy managed to catch the fundamental ideas………with his own personal touch.

Saya thought he had mastered _**Hakkeshou**_ (no idea where this came from).

Saya was going to teach him kickass Taijutsu, just like she was doing with Hina-chan.

"AWESOME!!!" After Saya witnessed a plethora of half-shaped expressions on Naruto's face, he settled on pure joy and jumped to her arms in glee. Saya returned the gesture gently and lovingly. Moments like those made her feel like Naruto was her own child. It made her feel a form of happiness different from anything she had experienced before. It just made the fact that she was never able to conceive all the more painful. However, that didn't weaken the connection she had with the blond Jinchuuriki. Besides, she still remembered the fact that hers was the first face the newborn Naruto saw in his existence. Which also reminded her that Naruto **never** saw his mother's face.

_Damn it, woman, settle on happy! Happy!!!_

Ignoring the stray thoughts and memories, Saya offered the boy the warmest smile, not caring about the fact that he couldn't see it. She just **knew **he could feel her affection towards him. She loved the boy, even if he was infuriating at times. Then again, so was Shiki.

And this is how Naruto was introduced to the Night Breeze Dragon style. It would be the only Taijutsu style he would get any close to mastering. However, for someone whose main interest would be Fuuton jutsu and seals, his skill with this style will prove to be quite decent.

"Take your _**Hakkeshou **_stance and fight me. I'll show you _**Yokazeryuu**_, the way of the Night Breeze Dragon."

Naruto's eyes widened and he nodded eagerly while he assumed the standard stance the Hyuuga learned the day after they learn how to walk. He studied Saya's stance. Her right foot was in front, but her weight was evenly distributed on both legs, which were just slightly bent. Her right arm was raised at chest level, but her hand seemed to hang down almost limply. Her left arm was kept low; her hand almost touching her hip. It was then when he noticed two bulges by her legs. The very high side slits of Saya's cheongsam revealed (if you aren't blind) some very appealing glimpses of skin……as well as the holsters she had strapped for the occasion. Naruto gulped. It was the first time he saw his sensei carrying any kind of weaponry.

"I'll hold back, of course, but please be very careful, Naruto. Attack me, but focus on your defense. Ready?"

He had to admit it: he was nervous. It was also the first time he received such a warning. However, he was also excited, and he nodded in determination. He wanted to see the Taijutsu he was about to learn.

"Here I come!"

"Come, then."

He would have liked to have some of his blunt kunai at hand. He didn't so he guessed just Taijutsu would have to do.

He closed in on Saya as fast as he could and began his assault with a high right palm thrust aimed at her upper chest. Saya easily slid to her left, also noticing Naruto's left hand hunting the base of her neck. She ducked. Naruto, expecting this, followed with a roundhouse left kick.

His imperfect _**Senrigan **_barely managed to trace Saya as she spun at the same time she made a wide arc to get away from Naruto's kick. Her footwork was flawless even at such great speed, and she didn't even use her hands for support or anything. However, Naruto didn't waste time and seized the opportunity. Her spin might be fast, but she was still showing her back to him. He finished the spin of his roundhouse kick, but he didn't stop at that, initiating another turn to get Saya's head with a right hand chop.

An instant before his hand made contact; Saya bent her body backwards (while still spinning herself) and saw Naruto's hand slicing the air above her. Growling in frustration, Naruto made a third spin to try a palm thrust at Saya's now exposed torso.

Her body still bent, Saya slammed her hands on her ground and lifted her legs, never interrupting her spinning motion around Naruto even as her hands took the place of her feet. Naruto's attack was interrupted by Saya opening her legs until they were both parallel to the ground. As she spun, her legs made wide circles that stopped Naruto from trying to get close.

Once she made a good distance between the two, Saya stood back up on her two feet. Her face was a little flushed for being upside down for a few seconds.

"Naruto, _**Yokazeryuu **_as a Taijutsu style is fundamentally defensive in nature. Its basic principle is attacking the opponent from every possible angle while staying out of range of his attacks. Dodge, dodge, dodge and stay back. Outwit the opponent, outmaneuver the opponent, and frustrate him by not letting him touch you, until he makes a mistake. Then you strike. Hit-and-run, hit-and-run, move, move, move, dodge, dodge, dodge."

In the blink of an eye, Saya grabbed two kunai and threw them at her student. Naruto crouched on both hands and feet as the pointy weapons whizzed above his head. His instincts yelled as his _**Senrigan **_felt Saya's presence above and to his right.

_Fast!!!_

Naruto jumped and did a back-flip at the same time Saya's downwards kick smashed the ground where he stood. Naruto swallowed when he felt the tremors caused by the sheer power of Saya's heel. The cloud of dust it raised obscured his _**Senrigan**_. Naruto frowned. Not just rain, but thick clouds of dust and smoke also seemed to interfere with the effectiveness of his jutsu. He knew he had to find a way to counter that.

Two kunai emerged from the cloud of dust. Naruto's reflexes kicked in and he bent his body to the side to let them pass. Suddenly, his field of vision was obstructed by a very beautiful leg. Once again, his reflexes proved to be well honed, as he let himself fall on his butt, the kick only caressing his blond hair. Saya smirked while Naruto rolled away.

"Naruto, remember the three critical words I taught you the first day?"

"Attention. Precision. Perfection." Naruto stated like a mantra. After saying those words, his breathing decayed into a nervous panting.

"Good. Now, add Agility to the mix, and you have _**Yokazeryuu**_."

Saya took a single step……and suddenly she was in front of him.

_Kami, she's so fast!!!_

Naruto barely had time to jump to his left before Saya's right palm smacked his face. Quickly turning to face her, he shrieked as he bent his head in a very painful way before a kunai was impaled on his right cheek. Knowing that he couldn't keep with her pace, he decided to impose his own pace, even if it was slower. He moved in to attack, and Saya approved of his decision with a smile he wouldn't have noticed even if he could.

Saya dodged his right hand palm thrust by moving to her left, quickly correcting herself and moving back to her original position when Naruto tried an elbow thrust. His left hand aimed at her heart but Saya bent her body to her right, slamming her left hand on the ground for support. Using the supporting arm and both legs, Saya launched herself upwards, her body parallel to the ground as she spun. Naruto sidestepped to the left to dodge Saya's downwards kick in midair and lowered his body to strike with a double palm thrust to her abdomen as she landed on the same offending foot. However, Saya once again showed her superiority by spinning clockwise like a ballerina the moment her feet touched the grass, and Naruto's hands only displaced the air to her right. However, Naruto continued by spinning counterclockwise himself to strike at her chest with a backwards roundhouse kick using his left heel. Saya stopped her spinning and bent her body backwards before doing a back-flip that moved her away from Naruto's attack. A burst of speed later, she was at least fifteen long steps away from her student.

"Dodge everything the opponent throws at you, and then attack from every direction." Saya resumed her explanation. "Open-hand attacks, acrobatic kicks and projectiles, those are the three pillars of attacking with _**Yokazeryuu**_. When the opponent's speed falters, attack with everything you've got. Speed, not power. You don't want to overwhelm, just to incapacitate. Dodge, not block. You don't only want to defend against the opponent's attack; you also want to make sure you will be able to defend against the next one. Dodge, not block. Dodge and find cover. Dodge and hide so you can use sniper attacks. Dodge and find an advantageous position. _**Yokazeryuu **_is about movement, quickness, agility, nimbleness and silence. You're not a martial artist. You are a shinobi……you are an assassin."

She disappeared.

"Eh…?" Naruto expanded his range of vision without success. Either she was beyond his range of "sight," or she was very well hidden. His nose didn't catch her either, so she took the wind direction into account.

Three kunai emerged from within the foliage. Naruto dodged them easily.

"Nee-chan, that's not fair!!!" He pouted. Saya replied immediately from somewhere within the foliage.

"Hiding is not cowardice, Naruto. It's what ninja do. Ninja hides, ninja plans, ninja kills."

"Never forget this, Naruto: for a ninja, retreating is always an option. Failure isn't."

Like a predatory bird skydiving towards its prey, Saya emerged from within a particularly tall tree, landing on all fours a foot to Naruto's right. She quickly went for a high kick, her left leg aiming at his head. Naruto ducked and made the Dragon hand seals.

Saya's eyes widened for an instant. Using only her right leg, she thrust herself upwards, contorting her body in cat-like ways to dodge the three kunai Naruto was controlling with _**Fuujin Tesabaki**_. Naruto tried going for the hit while Saya was in midair, but the Taijutsu Master was smart. Her left leg lashed at him in a wide arc that forced him to duck. Crouched as he was, he tried a diagonal palm thrust upwards, but Saya, at the same time her right hand touched the grass, used her left hand to draw a kunai and throw it at Naruto, who had to interrupt his attack to dodge leftwards. The kunai buried itself on the grass behind him. He intended to hone his reactions to the point that he would be able to stop kunai in midair, but he was far from that level.

Naruto's interrupted attack gave Saya the chance to put some distance between them.

"Nice, Naruto! That was a great move, using my kunai like that."

Naruto grinned and scratched the back of his head.

"That's why _**Yokazeryuu **_is so perfect for you. The normal practitioner switches from hand-to-hand to throwing attacks according to the flow of battle and the gaps in the opponent's defenses. You, Naruto, can use both forms of combat at the same time. The enemy will have to defend against your palms and kicks while keeping an eye on your wind-controlled projectiles."

"Even more important, you know how to be flexible and unpredictable. Remember, Naruto: be unpredictable, not reckless. Recklessness and defeat walk hand in hand."

Naruto nodded. He liked Saya's lessons. They were always straight and to the point. However……

"Ne, ne, Saya-neechan……what about awesome special Taijutsu attacks?"

Saya chuckled. She was expecting that question. "_**Yokazeryuu **_has plenty of those, but there's no point on me showing you those before you understand the fundamentals of the style. But enough demonstrations, you have training to do."

Naruto's grin could have melted iron. "Right!!!"

* * *

Hinata was tired. And bored. But mostly tired. 

While the teacher droned about the lakes and rivers of Fire Country, Hinata slumped down on her desk. She was sure Aburame Shino-kun shot a glance at her for her unusual action, but she couldn't care less. She was just too tired.

She had _**Jyuuken **_training every morning with her father, and the fact that she was also training with Saya didn't stop him from being ruthlessly thorough with his education. Saya insisted that it was important for her to at least get the hang of injecting chakra into the opponent's body.

Meanwhile, her after-classes training with the Taijutsu Goddess was even harsher. Hinata's study of the Fire Dragon style was threefold. First, she performed a series of exercises aimed at gradually improving her speed. Second, she was subjected to special training to improve her reflexes and reaction time (a favorite of Saya was summoning several Shadow Clones to throw kunai at Hinata from every direction; damn it, that's what _**Kaiten **_is for!). Finally, of course, she was instructed in the special techniques of the style. The most basic ones, of course.

Unlike most styles, _**Karyuu**_ doesn't have katas. The style as a whole is too fast to possess any specific structure of attack and defense. However, it does have several special moves. Hinata had already learned _**Ryoutotsugeki**_, a technique in which she struck at several specific points with wide swipes of both hands as she spun. The difficulty was, of course, in spinning fast enough to strike before the opponent could react while at the same time impeding the opponent from retaliating as she spun. To accomplish this, she had to spin **very quickly**. However, the faster the spin, the harder it was to direct the blows. Hinata already understood the technique and she knew how to perform it, but he knew she had to improve her speed for _**Ryoutotsugeki **_to be actually useful.

Saya had already showed her the next technique, _**Tsumuji Mai**_, which is basically _**Ryoutotsugeki**_ in mid-air, using your legs. Of course, this technique had to be even faster. Hinata could tell it would take her a lot more than one month to learn this one.

_I wonder what Naruto-kun is doing………_

She (correctly) guessed Naruto was in the middle of his own Taijutsu training. It was disappointing that she didn't get to see him that much, not even when she visited his house almost every day. After all, while she was busy with Saya, Naruto had lessons of his own in Shiki's studio. She only had a few minutes to say hello and goodbye after the Taijutsu training was over for the day.

_Naruto-kun………_

The blond marvel was in her thoughts more and more often every day. She still couldn't believe the effect their meeting had on her. She still was far from becoming the person she wanted to be, but at least she knew she was on the right path. Thinking about him gave her replenished her energy and soothed her exhausted mind after a long day of hard work. Thinking about him allowed her to go to sleep with a smile of accomplishment and satisfaction on her face every night. When he and Saya complimented her after she flawlessly executed _**Ryoutotsugeki **_on Saya's_** Iwa Bunshin**_, her heart fluttered and she felt butterflies in her stomach. For the first time ever, she felt like she had accomplished something. It wasn't a big thing, but it was a step; more than everything she had done in her short and pathetic life. It made her feel like she could actually become like him.

Her eyes drifted to a boy sitting by the window, clad in blue and white. Uchiha Sasuke. Naruto-kun's friend. It was hard to believe, considering that the boy didn't seem to be very close to anyone in the classroom (but, then again, that wasn't really his fault).

_But I guess that's Naruto-kun………_

Yes……after all, how could anyone **not like **Naruto-kun? He was so kind and friendly, and strong, and determinate, and dedicated, and affectionate, and considerate, and……

_Naruto-kun………_

Aburame Shino decided to ignore the stupid grin that formed on Hinata's face. He didn't want to know……even if it was unusual of his classmate to show such levels of emotion. It was a good thing that they were on the last seats, too. That way others wouldn't notice.

Hinata realized she was slumped on her desk smiling stupidly and quickly corrected herself. Not only it was unacceptable for a Hyuuga to behave in such a fashion, it was also against the premises of her plan. Even if she was gradually (very slowly) changing in both skill and personality, she was supposed to remain the frail, useless little Hinata in the eyes of the world.

After all, that would only make her eventual takeover of the clan a lot more………fulfilling.

Her eyes scanned the rest of the class, never taking more than a fleeting instant on each of the heads she could see.

Besides, why should she care about these………people? They were alien to her. Classmates? Bah. They won't even bother to give her the time of day. They would never bother with the shy, quiet Hyuuga girl. She might as well not exist.

No, they were unimportant. They were meaningless.

They were not Naruto-kun.

* * *

Late afternoon. In the depths of Training Area 69, Hyuuga Hinata was suffering courtesy of Saya's Obstacle Course of **DOOM** (registered trademark). At the same time, Naruto studied with amazement a scaled-down three-dimensional model of a real battle in the Second Great Shinobi War. Shiki used miniatures to describe the actions performed by the ninja battalions involved (using little toy soldiers Naruto found hilarious) and Naruto suggested potential alternative courses of action they could have taken or attempted to describe why the choices made were the most appropriate. Being a beginner in the whole military strategy thing, he wasn't very good at it. But it was still fun. 

Meanwhile, in a small room in a not-so-small house in the Uchiha District, Sasuke took a deep sigh. His elbows rested on the desk and his head on his clasped hands. He didn't know what to do……which was fairly obvious, since he didn't even have a grasp of what he wanted to do in the first place.

His father's words after he performed _**Goukakyuu no Jutsu**_………

"_As I expected, you are my child."_

……he wanted to hear them again.

He wanted to make his father proud. He wanted to see his mother's smile and hear her gleeful giggles. He wanted to be………

"_Do not follow after your brother."_

……Father had said that.

"Nii-san………" Sasuke muttered in the quietness of his bedroom.

"_You hold onto the organization, your clan, your name……these things limit us and limit our capacities………"_

Itachi had said that. He was a suspect for the death of Uchiha Shisui, the boy Itachi had acknowledged as his friend. Sasuke's brother had been acting strangely for the last two months or so, neglecting his duties with the clan and expressing opinions that infuriated his father and fellow Uchihas.

"……_in order to reach the height……of my capacity……I've lost all hope for this pathetic clan."_

What did Itachi mean? Why did he seem so mad? Sasuke couldn't imagine a reason for his brother to feel anger towards the clan. He was the genius everyone admired and constantly praised!

And there were also those eyes………

Sasuke was sure. For an instant, Itachi's eyes had changed. His _**Sharingan**_, in lack of better terms, became something different.

Just what the hell was going on?

"Nii-san……"

"What is it?"

"WAAAAAHHH!!!!!"

Sasuke, in his fright, had jumped from the chair to the top of the desk. He was looking behind at his older brother, who stared at Sasuke's frightened form with his usual impassive stare.

"……Sasuke?"

"Nii-san!" Sasuke immediately cried. "Do you always have to do that!?"

"……do what?"

"How do you always manage to sneak up on me anyway!?"

Itachi simply raised an eyebrow while Sasuke carefully got off the desk. It was his way of saying "if you haven't noticed, I happen to be a frickin' ANBU!!!"

"Why were you calling my name, Sasuke?"

Sasuke's eyes widened and he looked away. "Ah…uh……no reason."

"……you sounded like a lovestruck fangirl."

Even without the _**Sharingan**_, Sasuke's glare was still quite intimidating. Itachi felt almost proud.

"Don't you **ever**, **EVER**, dare say that again."

Itachi allowed himself to curve his lips slightly upwards. "……alright……." He revealed a box of his favorite snack. Coconut this time. "…want some?"

Sasuke rolled his eyes. "I don't get why you like those things so much." He mumbled before turning his back to Itachi.

The Uchiha genius' eyes narrowed. A part of him pondered the use of _**Tsukuyomi **_on his foolish little brother.

"_For the following 72 hours, I'll force-feed you the same number of flavors of Pocky."_

………_no, that wouldn't work._

That's when he noticed the scrolls and loose notebook pages scattered all over his little brother's desk. "What are you doing?"

Sasuke's body stiffened for a second. Still showing his back to Itachi, Sasuke grabbed a scroll Itachi recognized as a compendium of basic Katon techniques.

"……a new jutsu."

"Pardon me?"

"……the dobe made an original jutsu. I want to make one too."

Itachi's upturned lips arched upwards a bit more. "May I ask why? Are you by any chance jealous of Naruto-kun?"

Sasuke slowly shook his head. Jealous? Why should he be jealous? He was ecstatic. He had understood Naruto's half-assed lesson on jutsu design and he had witnessed Naruto's creation of _**Fuujin Tesabaki**_ almost two months before. He would never admit it to the blond, but he thought that was awesome……except for the part when Naruto's flying kunai chased him all around the place. He still had to get Naruto for that. The point was; if Naruto could make such a jutsu, of course Sasuke could do the same! After all, he was Uchiha Sasuke! And he was way smarter than Naruto……no offense aimed at the dobe, of course.

There was another reason.

Itachi finished the Academy in one year (_How the hell did he do that!? _Sasuke thought) and graduated as the best at the age of 7. He **mastered **(not awakened, **mastered**) the _**Sharingan**_ one year later. He was a Chuunin by his tenth year.

Sasuke knew he would never be able to imitate those accomplishments. He just wasn't Itachi, as much as it pained him to admit it. However, inventing a new jutsu might be another way for his family and clan to be proud of him. If he couldn't be the same as Itachi, he'd gain their acknowledgement and admiration in other ways.

"No……I just want to make a new jutsu."

Itachi's expression didn't change. He knew his little brother very well, and he could understand why little Sasuke was trying something like that.

"What do you have?"

Sasuke's shoulders slumped a bit. "Nothing really. I haven't come up with any ideas."

"Hmm……well, do your best."

Sasuke frowned. Somehow that sentence didn't sound right. Wasn't his brother going to help him? Then again, Sasuke didn't really want to be helped, but……

He turned to look at Itachi, only to feel two fingers poking his forehead. Itachi had something remotely resembling a gentle smile on his face.

"There. Now you will focus."

Sasuke frowned and raised an eyebrow. "……..how?" His voice was barely above a whisper.

"You just will." Itachi declared. At Sasuke's obvious expression of disbelief, Itachi frowned a little. "You lack faith."

"No, I'm just annoyed. You can be really annoying at times, nii-san."

Itachi actually tilted his head a bit to his right.

"……Naruto-kun says I'm cool."

Sasuke grimaced. "And your point is…?"

"He says I'm badass."

The younger Uchiha slapped his forehead. "Nii-san, Naruto thinks orange is the best color. ORANGE!!!"

"……he likes Pocky."

Sasuke rolled his eyes. "So that's how it is……"

For a while, Sasuke envied Naruto's……awkward friendship with his older brother. The feeling didn't last long. He didn't want his relationship with Itaci to be like **that**. It was just weird.

"He says I'm cool. And badass. I'm made of win and awesome." Itachi added with that quiet, nigh-emotionless tone of his. He might as well be reciting the weather forecast.

"Nii-san, you've been around Naruto way too long."

He decided to ignore the fact that he had spent a lot more time around Naruto than his older brother.

"I think Naruto-kun speaks the truth."

"I think you're both a bunch of lunatics." Sasuke mused jokingly. If this was his brother's awkward way to fool around, Sasuke would indulge him.

"We should invite Naruto-kun to come over for a visit."

"I……don't think Father would approve of that."

Itachi nodded. "True……a shame, though. I believe Mother would approve of him."

"Mother would cuddle him until those whisker marks of his came off." Sasuke growled. Her mother was just so damn……motherly.

"We could have lots of food, like ramen……"

Sasuke groaned.

"……and Pocky. Yes, Pocky and ramen."

"I think I'll pass."

"That is unacceptable……on the other side, more Pocky for me……"

Sasuke shot an odd look at his brother. It was impossible to tell whether Itachi was being serious or just being plain crazy.

"It's official: Naruto has infected you."

For some reason, Sasuke had a mental image of Itachi and Naruto wearing pots on their heads and banging them with large spoons with lunatic looks on their faces.

"I do not feel unwell, though."

Sasuke sighed. "Could you please leave me alone?" He had never imagined himself refusing his brother's company. There's certainly a first time for everything.

"We could celebrate _**Hina-nagashi **_together."

"_**Hina-nagashi **_is a girls' festival!!!"

Which means Naruto will spend it with Hinata and Hanabi, of course.

"We could use _**Henge**_……."

"NII-SAN!!!"

"You look angry. That is not healthy for a child your age-"

"OUT. **NOW**."

Itachi **pouted** (_Oh, for Kami's sake, did he just __**pout**_) and walked a few steps backwards, opening the door that led outside of Sasuke's room.

"………Itachi is a good boy."

"OKAY, THAT'S IT, **GET OUT OF HERE!!!!**"

Sasuke fumed for a moment while Itachi disappeared behind the closed door. After that, his expression relaxed.

_Nii-san…………everything is okay……right?_

* * *

A half past one in the afternoon of the next day. 

Saya calmly washed some pots and pans after that day's lunch while Shiki read……something and Naruto finished his glass of lemonade. He loved it when they had something else to drink other than water. It was a normal scene of peace and quiet in the Houraisan residence; two hours of normalcy between the two stages of Naruto's training.

Of course, someone had to interrupt it.

"Yoooo-hooooo!!!!! Oi, Saya!!!"

Shiki's body stiffened. "Oh, fuck. That's what I get for not renewing the barrier this morning."

He only had to restore _**Hakke Happou Fuuin Kekkai **_once a year, though. No one could blame him for skipping a morning or two, right?

Naruto blinked. As far as he knew, Saya was supposed to be the dirty-mouthed one. "Who is that?"

"YO!!!" A particularly loud voice boomed all over the place. _**Senrigan**_'s perfect range showed him there was a woman under the doorframe. Also……

"……is she naked?" Naruto wondered with a strange expression on his face. Shiki almost snorted. He shot a glance at the short woman with the spiky dark violet ponytail, light brown eyes and two perfect rows of clear white teeth.

"No, Naruto, she just wears very tight clothes."

Certainly, the woman wore only a thin, semi-transparent body suit made of metal mesh made to look like fishnet, coupled with light ochre, quite tight miniskirt of the same color. She had left her same-colored overcoat at home, further revealing her enviable assets to the world. A plain collar from which a snake fang hung freely adorned her neck. Proudly adjusting her Konoha _**hitai-ate **_(forehead protector), Mitarashi Anko saluted the Houraisan residents.

Saya walked out of the kitchen while wiping her hands with a squared piece of cloth.

"You know you are always welcome here, Anko-chan, but could you please keep it down?"

Anko raised an eyebrow. "Who are you and what did you do with my Saya?"

Shiki buried his head in his read, hoping that, if he remained quiet enough, he wouldn't catch Anko's attention. Naruto's head unnecessarily jerked from side to side, from Saya to Anko and back.

"We just like our meals quiet and peaceful, Anko-chan." Saya replied with her normal gentle tone. That's when Anko decided to take a look at the other residents of the house. She quickly noticed Shiki's pathetic attempt at remaining inconspicuous. She also noticed the most recent tenant of the Houraisan residence.

_The Kyuubi brat._

"Since when do you pick wimpy little boys off the streets, Saya?"

"Hey! Who the hell is wimpy!? Who the hell are you anyway!?"

However, Anko paid no heed to Naruto's complaints. The intense pressure she felt drowned all external sounds and paralyzed her body. A pair of small green eyes stared at her with burning intensity.

"Y-You don't have to get like that………sheesh, Saya, I'm sorry, okay!?"

The killing intent disappeared, but Saya's stern expression remained.

"I truly hope that is the case. I won't tolerate such words coming from you, Anko."

The Special Jounin let go a long sigh. Her wide grin had long since disappeared. That was an unusual and quite unpleasant experience. She guessed she deserved it, though. Saya had always had a soft spot for children, especially those submitted to unfair circumstances. It was the reason they met on the first place, after all.

A visibly confused Naruto centered his "sight" on Saya, hoping to get an answer from his nee-chan.

Saya had noticed Naruto's "stare" for a while already, but it took her some time to gather the words she knew she was supposed to say. She could also feel Shiki subtly glancing at her from behind his large scroll. If he was trying to encourage her, he was failing terribly.

She couldn't help but focus her gaze on Naruto, offering him a compassionate look of pity she knew (and was thankful) he couldn't see.

"Anko-chan, my student and protégé, Uzumaki Naruto. Naruto, this is Mitarashi Anko, _**Tokubetsu Jounin **_of Konoha………" Saya swallowed. It felt like a lump of lead as it descended upon her stomach. "………tea?"

"What kind of pretty little princess do you take me for!? Give me something hard!" Anko boisterously exclaimed as she took a free seat. The table shook wildly when she rested her heavy boots on its surface. Naruto snorted.

"You're not in your house, you know………so loud……" Naruto mumbled, and Shiki raised an eyebrow.

"The pot calling the kettle black………"

Saya returned to the kitchen and Anko followed her with her eyes.

"We do have some sake, but, next time, please keep in mind we are not a pub, Anko-chan."

"Yeah, yeah……" Anko dismissed her friend with a lazy wave of her right hand. "I'll bring the booze next time. Dango?"

"Sorry."

"Damn."

"You know, we'd be more ready to welcome you if you bothered to send a messenger bird or something."

"I was in a long mission, okay?" Anko pouted loudly. Her right heel was tapping the table impatiently. She really needed that booze. "Been away for months."

"No wonder. When was the last time you visited? Like, six months ago?" Saya prepared a teapot to warm the sake.

"Dunno. When did you get the brat?"

Naruto shot daggers at the woman. Who the hell did she think she was to talk about him like that?

"A bit over four months ago. Please stop talking about him as if he were a pet or something."

"Whatever. What's with the weird-ass eyes? Those are new."

"They're not weird." Naruto mumbled.

"Finish your juice, Naruto. You have lessons in less than half an hour." Saya stated matter-of-factly.

"Haaaaai."

"They're implants, Anko-chan. Naruto's blind." Saya explained.

Anko looked at the boy, who returned her impassive stare with one of his own. Saya quietly observed the exchange between the two. She knew Shiki was doing the same, despite his pretense of being immersed in his scroll.

"……tough shit. It sucks, ne?"

"Naaah, you think?"

Anko smirked. "Nice attitude, brat. So, Saya's teaching you, huh?"

"Yep! I'm gonna be the most badass ninja!!!"

Anko snorted. His innocence half-amused her and half-sickened her.

"Sure, whatever." She turned to Saya again. "What are you thinking, suddenly deciding to train this brat?"

Naruto grumbled under his breath again. Saya simply raised an eyebrow.

"Why do you care?"

"I don't. I'm just curious."

Saya sighed and shrugged. "We have our reasons……and, as you know, I've always wanted to know how it would be to have children around."

"Hmm……" Anko nodded. Every single person who knew Saya knew of her one and greatest regret: being unable to make a family with her beloved.

"What about you, Anko-chan?"

Shiki shot Saya an odd look, but the woman ignored him.

"What about me?"

"Ever thought about having children?"

Shiki's look became one of alarm. Saya still ignored him. As for Anko, it was good the drinks weren't ready. She would have sprayed her sake all over Naruto's face.

"Children? **Me**!?" She was obviously amused by the idea. "Nah, I'm far from the mother type."

"No kidding."

"You said something, brat?" Anko, her feet still resting on the table, bent her body slightly forwards, contorting her face into a scowl. Shiki did not look at Anko's clearly visible breasts behind the mesh suit. Certainly not.

"There's no 'brat' here. There's Saya-neechan, Shiki-sensei, and I'm Naruto."

"Oh, so you're a little smartass……"

"Sake's ready."

Anko's head jerked to face Saya, Naruto instantly forgotten. "Damn right!!!"

* * *

The next morning, Naruto did not have morning training. Anko had show up again a while after breakfast and Saya told him she had something to do with the _**Tokubetsu Jounin**_. The two of them disappeared within the rightmost building ("The Dojo") and left him alone. 

He decided to spend the idle time with an exercise Saya had come up with the day he was introduced to _**Yokazeryuu**_. While he could already perform _**Hakkeshou**_ katas without conscious thought, she had upped the difficulty a notch by making him do them on a narrow horizontal pole between two branches of different trees. It was balance training, of course. Painful balance training. It was a long fall to the cold, hard ground, at least for a child his age and size. It was a lot better than his crotch ending up smashed against the pole, though. That took painful to a whole new level. Saya claimed he was too unskilled to try acrobatics, and Naruto (for once) wholeheartedly agreed.

An hour later, Saya watched a scene that would remain engraved in her memory until the end of her days. It was nothing special, but……

Naruto had decided to take a rest and laid down on the comfortable (and, surprisingly enough, not itchy) grass near the flowers. The trees and the few cloud blocked most of the sunlight. Naruto wished he could look at the sky. It was peaceful, but it was so dark……

"Care if I join you?"

He had his "eyes" closed, but his _**Senrigan **_clearly showed him the silhouette of Mitarashi Anko standing to his left. He only shrugged.

"Why should I?"

Anko grinned and slumped down by his side. "Aaah, this always feels good. You picked the best place, kid."

"Well, I've been around long enough. Where's Saya-neechan?"

"She'll be here in a while. That's what she said."

Truth was; Saya was looking at the two from the dojo's entrance. She was watching the two with rapt attention.

"So, what were you two doing over there?" Naruto inquired with a level tone.

"Why do you care?"

"I don't. I'm just curious."

Anko smirked. She could tell her own words being used against her. Therefore, she conceded Naruto a point.

"Medical check-up. Saya's my personal doctor, you see. The old coot sends me here for everything other that scrapes and cuts."

"Old man Hokage?"

"Yup."

Saya groaned at the lack of respect the two expressed towards the Third. "It's like they had known each other for years……" She muttered. "……so……appropriate……"

"Why would he do that? Isn't that what the hospital is for?"

"That, kid, is a secret."

"Hmmm……" Naruto murmured lazily.

"I'd tell you, but then I'd have to kill you."

Naruto mirrored Anko's smirk with one of his own, even if he couldn't see hers. "You'd have to catch me first."

Suddenly, the white shape of Anko's face covered the left half of Naruto's "field of vision."

"Oh, so you think, you can outrun me, boy?"

Naruto's smirk changed into an innocent grin. "Never know until we try. Please keep the kunai away……where the hell do you keep those things, anyway?"

Anko raised an eyebrow. "How can you tell?" She quickly reviewed every what little she had seen of Naruto since the day before. "How can you act so normally, anyway?"

Naruto snorted as he sat up. He would never get tired of explaining _**Senrigan**_ to the people who asked (so far Hinata, Itachi, the Third Hokage and the ladies from the Hyuuga Hot Springs).

"………damn. Really, damn. Damn, brat, I'm actually impressed. Incomplete shit or whatever, that's actually one hell of a jutsu."

_And just the kind of thing the bastard snake would love………_

"Heheh, it is, isn't it?" Naruto blushed a bit and fidgeted with the edges of his cheongsam. Anko chuckled. Sure, the boy didn't know shit about being a ninja, but brats are supposed to be all stupid like that, right?

"You know, there might actually be some hope for you, kid." Anko declared as she slapped Naruto's left shoulder rather roughly. "Keep at it and let's see if you actually make it to the ninja ranks."

_Well, the brat's definitely got the talent………let's see if he can handle the nasty stuff in a few years._

Naruto's face brightened as much as it possibly could without eyes to reinforce the emotion that surged through him after hearing those words. There it was again, that feeling.

Acknowledgement. Half-assed, but acknowledgement nonetheless.

Too bad he couldn't see the wicked grin forming on Anko's face.

"Now, let's see if all that trash talk of yours a while ago is actually worth something."

"Eh?"

Her lips moved dangerously close to his left ear. The feel of her breath on his neck as she whispered made him feel something he couldn't really describe. Honestly, it scared him as hell.

"Run, baby."

Naruto only needed to "see" Anko's hand reaching somewhere inside her vest to jump to his feet and run like hell. A second later, Anko was chasing him all over the place, laughing and taunting him like a deranged demon while she threatened him with carefully thrown kunai here and there.

"Come on, brat! I can summon snakes and they're feeling playful today!!!"

"The hell!? SNAKES!? Away with you, woman!" Naruto cried at the same time he ducked and a kunai whizzed half an inch above his hair.

"I've heard somewhere that nothing tastes better than the blood of the innocent. I feel like giving it a try!"

"Ok, I get it! YOU'RE INSANE!!! Saya-neechan is **mild** compared to you!!!"

"Hey!" The aforementioned Houraisan wife pouted from her spot by the dojo's entrance.

"Why do you think I'm here!? The old man thinks I'm not right in the head!!! Now come here and let Anko-neechan hug you!!!"

"Well, that explains a lot……LIKE HELL!!! _**Fuuton! Fuujin Tesabaki no Jutsu**_!!!"

Anko found herself performing actual combat evasive maneuvers when the kunai she had thrown at the boy suddenly gained a life of their own and attacked her.

"Whoa! Nice trick you got there, kid!!! Seems like I was being too nice with you! LET'S ROCK!!!"

"No, wait-oh, shit……"

Anko laughed like a (utterly demented) schoolgirl while Naruto screamed bloody murder. The Special Jounin was adding weak-burst exploding tags to her kunai.

"DON'T YOU DARE RUIN **MY **FLOWERS, YOU BUNCH OF CRAZY BASTARDS!!!"

"SAYA-NEECHAN!!! YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO WORRY ABOUT **MY SAFETY**!!!!"

"I SEE A LITTLE BLOND………AND HE GOES 'BOOM'!!! WHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!"

* * *

The next day, Naruto didn't have lessons, either, much to his frustration. However, a part of him was already used to it. For one day every month, Shiki and Saya just disappeared. They said they had something very important to do and left the house right after breakfast. Saya returned in time for lunch, but Shiki only showed up late in the evening. 

Naruto dutifully performed his Taijutsu exercises in the morning. He used the rest of the time to experiment on a little something that kept nagging at him for a while already: manipulation of sound.

By the end of the morning, he had figured out how project his voice from different places other than his position; a skill some called _**Utsusemi no Jutsu **_(not that Naruto knew this). It was a "simple" matter of recreating the pressure waves his voice created in another location. It didn't even require hand seals. When Saya's return (he was unable to tell where she had come from) interrupted his experiments, he made two mental notes to work on two additional exercises whenever he had free time. One was the voice-changing jutsu he had wondered about during that afternoon with Sasuke on the pier (it took him a while to remember). The other was controlling the volume of the projected voice. He wanted to come up with a way to communicate from a distance with someone else without being heard by everyone else nearby.

He had the afternoon free, so, after several rounds of Ichiraku's damn fine ramen (as many as Saya's pocket money had allowed), he was sitting on top of a tree in front of the Academy. He had noticed Hinata leaving the building a couple of minutes before, and he had even considered jumping down to greet her and walk home with her (she went straight to his place after school, anyway), but then he remembered he wasn't supposed to know Hinata, according to hers, Saya's and Hiashi's instructions. For a moment, Naruto had thought Hinata was just ashamed of being his friend, but she quickly convinced him that was not the case. He had felt the honesty in her words.

He was important to her.

Naruto allowed himself to grin as he walked idly on one of Konoha's many crowded streets. It felt so……nice, being appreciated.

He hated himself for it, but he wondered about the looks on the villagers' faces. He couldn't see them anymore, which allowed his stupid brain to conjure all sorts of painfully familiar images. Whenever he noticed a head turned in his direction, his mind immediately took it as a blank canvas and filled with a face full of disgust, hate and repulsion. Naruto could only imagine what they thought of his new look and the bandana that covered his eyes (he never revealed his mediums outside of the Houraisan or the Hyuuga grounds). He guessed they were quite freaked out that he could walk with little trouble despite being blindfolded, which quickly summoned a smile on his face.

_Yeah, to hell with them, I don't care anymore. Not like I can see their ugly faces anyway._

He was, however, surprised with the ease with which he recognized Hinata among the many shapes of children all both genders and all sizes. He was just that familiar with the shape of her body and her clothes; the tone, intensity and frequency of her footsteps; even her posture and the way she walked. He would never mistake her in a crowd, imperfect sight technique or not. He wished he had an idea of Ten-chan's shape. He didn't even remember her scent, and he didn't hear her voice amidst the chaos of cheery children as they left their personal little piece of hell. He did notice Hinata's bodyguards: four of them carefully concealed at four separate spots no closer than fifteen yards from Hinata. They were pretty damn well hidden, but few things could escape _**Senrigan**_'s all-around vision, especially when he released a lot of chakra to expand its range. He also noticed a trio of ANBU showed up when he did this. After apologizing for the excessive chakra outburst, the masked soldiers snorted (in amusement, actually) and disappeared as swiftly as they had shown up.

The flow of children leaving the Academy had substantially decreased when Naruto noticed someone else he recognized. As usual, the gears in his mind worked at astounded speed when it came to making fun of Uchiha Sasuke. Maybe pissing off bastards was his Bloodline Limit.

_Wait till he gets closer………_

"TEME!!!!!"

Sasuke shrieked and jumped when a thunderous yet infantile voice from behind threatened to break his eardrums. The few children nearby also turned to look for whoever had yelled so awfully loudly behind the Uchiha.

Nobody there.

Sasuke made the mistake of looking behind him, too. He bit his tongue when a pebble smacked the back of his head. It also made him lose balance and fall forwards in a rather embarrassing position.

"Whahaha!!! Duck-butt!!!" A voice that seemed to come from everywhere laughed at the fallen Uchiha, who blushed and decided that falling on his elbows and knees with his butt in the air was unbecoming of an Uchiha……especially after he heard a few hushed snickers from the other children.

"Naruto………" Sasuke growled with a low tone that promised lots of pain for the blond.

* * *

Twenty minutes later, Sasuke was in the middle of what he liked to call "Aggressive Therapy." Basically, Naruto summoned hordes of _**Kage Bunshin **_and Sasuke beat the crap out of them. The young Uchiha needed it. For the nth time, Itachi had made an excuse not to help him with shuriken training (with forehead poking included, Kami, he hated that). On the other side, he had been relieved to find out his father did not feel any antipathy towards Itachi and his unusual recent behavior. Fugaku and Sasuke simply agreed that Itachi was a difficult person. 

They just didn't know all the facts.

Naruto had created sixty copies this time, but he sent them in groups of three. With Naruto's knowledge of _**Hakkeshou**_, three at a time were enough of a challenge for Sasuke, even if they disappeared with a single hit.

The real Naruto stayed out of the fray. After the first time, he rarely joined those Shadow Clone medleys. Whenever he fought Sasuke, he did it one-on-one. After he noticed the final aspect of _**Kage Bunshin no Jutsu**_,and after a long and difficult talk with Shiki, he made an oath to avoid using that technique in combat as much as humanly possible, despite its obvious usefulness even for a blind ninja.

A nasty roundhouse kick landed on the left side of a clone's neck and, with a high-pitched gasp, he puffed out of existence, forcing Naruto to wince and close his eyes.

The Shadow Clones were his identical copies, as identical as they could be, at least outwardly. They didn't have internal organs, of course, as they were built with chakra, but they looked and acted like Naruto. In looks and personality, they were as human as Naruto was. They were complete humans in everything but their anatomy and physiology, and they shared a connection or sorts with their creator. They were mirrors of his self. If you insulted them, they wouldn't like it. If you offered them ramen, they would leap in joy and worship you.

If you harmed them, they felt pain……and then disappeared.

Shadow Clones die. And Naruto experienced each and every single "death."

Shiki explained him that the annoying tinge he felt whenever a clone disappeared in a violent manner was a very lesser form of mortal agony. After all, if it felt **just like** dying, it would be far more than "just annoying."

But it still hurt. And it still bothered him.

On the other side, his Shadow Clones had also showed him another aspect of his personality. His Shadow Clones were the personification of that same determination and willpower that drew Hyuuga Hinata towards him.

"Dying" in battle hurt, but, on the other side, whenever Naruto dispelled them every afternoon after the day's lessons and training, Naruto could feel they seemed actually a bit glad. He knew they were glad because their "death" would become Naruto's growth, and that was their greatest happiness. His clones had proven to be a bit temperamental at times, but they loved him, and he loved them with all his heart.

Naruto secretly hoped one day Sasuke would understand the true value of what Naruto was doing for him. After all, for one of his few friends, Naruto would do anything.

_Thank you for everything, guys. I'm sorry. _Naruto silently prayed for his clones as they disappeared one by one.

* * *

Sasuke caught the bottle of water as he slumped down next to Naruto, who had been sitting down against a tree since the beginning. 

"Thanks."

"You're welcome."

Naruto watched the now empty scene of Sasuke's battle. Sixty clones. It might not be the same, but Naruto knew he was far more acquainted with death and loss than any other child his age. Next to him, Sasuke gulped down the entire bottle in less than forty seconds. He was exhausted.

"Your Taijutsu………is pretty good."

Naruto turned to the Uchiha. "Really? Thanks. You're not half bad, I mean, you took down sixty."

"Barely." Sasuke admitted. "If they were a bit sturdier, I'd be done for."

Naruto smiled. "My, aren't we humble today? Won't they kick you out of the clan or something for this?"

"Shut up and enjoy my moment of weakness. Ugh, so tired……"

Sasuke spread his body on the grass. "Everything hurts……I overdid it this time……"

"So, you skipping shuriken practice?"

"It's training, damn it! Sheesh, just like mom……and no, I'm not skipping it……just……resting for an hour……or two………"

"If you fall asleep I'll strip you and sell your clothes to your fangirls."

"I'm awake."

"Sasuke's such a good boy……"

The young Uchiha stared oddly at Naruto…then groaned. "……just like Itachi……"

"Really? Does it mean I'm made of win and awesome!?"

Sasuke just slapped his forehead. "Why can't you just go to hell and die?"

"That doesn't make any sense. You have to die before you can go to-"

"Just shut up!"

"Besides, who will make your days fun and exciting without me here?"

Sasuke rolled his eyes. "Fun and exciting, no Naruto……fun and exciting, no Naruto……yeah, I think I can sacrifice the fun and excitement in my life."

"Bastard."

"Idiot."

"Duck-head."

"Girly clothes."

"Hey, they're not girly! It's a **male **cheongsam, dammit! And I look damn good in it!!!"

"How do you know? You're a blind dobe."

"Stuff it, pretty boy."

"You know, the Haruno girl in my class wears clothes just like yours. Maybe you two can play with dolls together?"

"Nah, I'm sure she'd rather play with you, Sasuke-chan."

"………dobe."

"Teme."

Seriously, throwing insults at each other had become routine.

* * *

Half an hour later……… 

"I. Hate you. So. Much."

Naruto only grinned. "Heheh, sore loser. Now, ramen!"

Sasuke fumed and walked over the round target board to pull out the kunai. He had betted Naruto couldn't best him at kunai throwing. And, certainly, under normal circumstances, he couldn't. His aim was way beyond pathetic.

Sasuke should have made sure to forbid Naruto from using _**Fuujin Tesabaki**_.

True, Naruto couldn't see the black and red concentric circles painted on the wooden board, but he could see the board's shape, and he could see its center. That's everything he needs. He might be a long way from mastering throwing weapons with his two hands, but, with _**Tesabaki**_ his aim was almost absolutely perfect.

"Ramen!"

"I know, I know……stupid…" He pulled the first. "……blind……" The second. Sasuke's mind picture a fantasy of the boy ripping Naruto's limbs one by one. "……cheating……" The third came out. In his mind, Naruto begged for mercy. "……DOBE!" The fourth and last.

"Hey, I won fair and square!" Naruto grinned and raised both hands behind his head.

"Fair and square my ass……"

"You've got one hell of an ugly ass then……"

Sasuke bit his lower lip to control himself. "Calm mind of the Uchiha………" He muttered his personal mantra.

"RAMEN!!!"

"I GOT IT ALREADY, DAMN IT!!!"

"**RAME-**"

Naruto took the full power of Sasuke's punch on his face.

"Kami, that felt good."

"Dammit, you sick bastard! You broke my nose…no, my nose is okay……but it hurts, damn it!!!"

"That oughta teach you, dobe. Uchiha Sasuke pays his debts……**after** the training. Now keep quiet or next time I'll use the kunai."

"You wouldn't."

Sasuke nodded. "You're right, I wouldn't……" He smirked. "……I'd use _**Goukakyuu no Jutsu**_."

"You Uchihas are all a bunch of psycho bastards."

"Nah……just the ninjas."

* * *

"Stupid obsessed bastard……he owes me……like hell I'm gonna forget!!!" 

Naruto mumbled to himself as he took the long way home through the Training Areas. The blond wanted to eat ramen before going home and meet with Saya and Hinata (and hopefully Shiki had already returned), but Sasuke wanted to keep training. In the end, Sasuke made a rain check on that ramen, and Naruto didn't leave until he made Sasuke promise on his _**Sharingan**_ that he would buy Naruto his ramen one of those days.

He released more chakra and expanded his _**Senrigan**_. He liked to do this when he was outside the residential areas because the ANBU didn't get all edgy. Of course, it was kind of pathetic that he could only see trees and more trees……the occasional bird in the sky……a stray cat napping on a branch……Itachi sitting on the grass……wait.

"Oi!!! Itachi!!!"

Itachi's body stiffened. Had he been so into his work that he hadn't noticed the immense cloud of low-density wind-nature chakra Naruto constantly released? That wasn't a good thing. He needed to focus. That day, he needed to focus like he had never focused before.

For an instant he thought of quickly rolling the scroll he had been working on for the last fifty minutes, but he quickly remembered Naruto couldn't read or understand even the most basic of seals.

"……Naruto-kun."

Naruto might be blind. Itachi might not be the most expressive of people. However, Naruto was proud to (believe to) know Itachi enough to tell his mood from the very subtle inflections of his voice. Considering that Naruto's hearing was by far the most developed of his senses, he might actually be able to do it.

From what he could tell, Itachi wasn't in the best of moods that afternoon.

Spring was still several weeks away. Sunset would soon be upon them.

Before he raised his head to greet him, Naruto had noticed Itachi had his head hunched down and he seemed to be busy with……

"A scroll?" Naruto inquired as he settled down his quick pace to a slow walk and calmly approached Sasuke's brother with his hands in his pockets.

"……yes."

"What are you writing?"

"……that's not something you should know…" _……yet._

"Hmm……not like I can read it anyway."

"That is precisely why I haven't hidden it yet."

Naruto pouted. "Now that's just mean."

"No, it's just convenient. To me, I mean."

Itachi grabbed a Strawberry Pocky stick from the box resting by his right and offered it to Naruto, who accepted it gladly. He also noticed a rather large cylindrical object standing on Itachi's other side.

"Is that a scroll, too?"

"……yes." Itachi dipped his brush on his tiny bottle of ink and scribbled at a quick but smooth pace. So many things to write, so little time……

"Damn, it's huge. What's in that thing?"

Itachi didn't even turn to look at the boy.

"………let me guess: none of my business."

"Precisely." _Not yet at least, Naruto-kun._

There was a long silence while Naruto ate his stick and waited for Itachi to finish writing whatever it was he was working on. Never being one to sit idly and do nothing for long, Naruto cupped his hands together.

Ever since he developed the third and last stage of his _**Sharingan**_, Itachi tried to maintain it active for as long as possible. It was a simple (if inefficient) chakra capacity exercise, beyond the blatantly obvious benefits of keeping the supernatural eyes active. That's why he could see the weak but steady flow of wind-nature chakra Naruto was releasing from his hands. It seemed the boy was content with only randomly manipulating the flow, making it trace all sorts of crazy doodles in the air which only people with special eyes like Itachi or people with unique perception jutsu like Naruto could have been able to see.

Of course, they might be funny doodles, but they showed Itachi that Naruto's control of his wind chakra was superb.

In one of their previous meetings, Naruto had explained him the workings of _**Senrigan**_. Like all those before him, the genius Uchiha was impressed by the sheer amount of thought and effort Naruto had put into the technique, as well as by the jutsu's great results.

Itachi saw Naruto and he saw **POTENTIAL**. Bolded and with capital letters. Naruto was a prime candidate to join the list of few ninja who have reached a level all of their own. Even more, Naruto didn't have a bloodline limit. What he had was a beast and a seal that could be both blessing and curse. Naruto was like the Sannin in that aspect. None of the three great ninjas had Bloodline Limits or special, unique abilities of note. Sheer hard work had taken them to the level they had reached.

Itachi would have smiled, but that would have caught Naruto's attention, and he didn't want that just yet. Itachi's intention had been to kill Naruto when he used that Genjutsu-drug concoction combination on one of his fellow ANBU. He didn't achieve the intended result, but the final result went way above his expectations. The loss of Naruto's eyes was the catalyst of a transformation in so many levels. Not just Naruto: the Houraisan couple, Sasuke, the Hyuugas and even the Hokage himself.

Itachi's little stunt was reshaping the history of Konoha.

That was good and all, but Itachi was the most surprised by the blond himself. Seven years old and already the possessor of an A-rank jutsu in terms of sheer complexity. There was also _**Kage Bunshin no Jutsu**_. _**Fuujin Tesabaki **_might be just a C-rank but Itachi would have been the world's greatest idiot if he couldn't see the potential hidden in the simple ability to move objects from a distance. They were all "utility" jutsu, but Naruto had an entire shinobi career ahead of him to learn destructive techniques or whatever.

Potential. Everything was centered on that little world.

Naruto had been a giant bundle of potential being wasted by the stupidity of the citizens of Konoha. Itachi had already pictured it in his mind. He knew Naruto's education wouldn't have been the best. His warped personality (and Itachi is an expert on warped personalities, possessing one himself) plus judgmental, prejudiced teachers just didn't make a good combination. He was sure the Houraisan wouldn't allow the teachers at the Academy to give Naruto treatment in any way different from what the other students received. Had he remained alone, Naruto's formation as a ninja would have been deficient.

And few things infuriated Itachi more than wasted potential, especially in the amounts Naruto possessed.

Itachi was observant. Even if it wasn't his job, he liked to **know**. Therefore, he had seen. The next generation of Konoha shinobi, the one whose formation had just recently begun, would be one of the most interesting in the village's history. There were the children of the famous Ino-Shika-Cho combination of Yamanaka, Nara and Akimichi. There were already whispers about a very talented young boy from a Branch House of the Hyuuga. There was also an Aburame, as well as the Hyuuga heiress. And last but definitely not least, his own brother Sasuke.

But they all paled in front of the sheer amount of **POTENTIAL **Itachi had seen in the Kitsune vessel. Itachi **knew**. Naruto was born to excel. He might not be acknowledged as such ever, but Itachi knew Naruto was the new genius of Konoha. Maybe not in the same way Itachi or this Hyuuga kid were labeled as geniuses, or genius in the sense of a high IQ, but Naruto was a genius in his very own way.

However, the Uchiha Clan had plans for Naruto. Plans that would destroy him and his immense potential.

Like hell if Itachi would let that happen. His mind was set on a single sentence he had repeated as a mantra for several months already.

_If anyone's going to kill him, it's going to be me._

In the end, Itachi's intentions could be described as simple, childish curiosity. He just wanted to see if Naruto could become stronger than him. For that single selfish wish, Itachi would even sell his soul to the pits of hell.

"Naruto."

Wisps of wind chakra flickered and dispersed as Itachi's voice hampered Naruto's concentration.

"Huh?" Naruto didn't notice Itachi's omission of the usual honorific.

"……_**Tsukuyomi**_." Itachi whispered, and the three black tomoe in his crimson _**Sharingan **_eyes shifted and merged into a three-pronged spiral around the pupil.

Frozen in a stare, Naruto and Itachi became like trees, like rocks or any other feature of the landscape. Unmoving, neither of the two made a noise. They just looked at each other………for six seconds.

"……huh? Did you say something?"

Itachi blinked……and then sighed. "……it doesn't work."

"What?"

"Nothing, Naruto-kun."

Itachi processed the results of this experiment. He knew that, because of his lack of eyes, Naruto was immune to visual Genjutsu. However, _**Tsukuyomi**_ is more than a Genjutsu. It is the imposition of a reality in the mind of the target, a reality in which Itachi is God. _**Tsukuyomi **_doesn't just distort the target's senses; it fundamentally warps his perception of the world. The outside world ceased to exist. To the victim trapped within the Moon Reader, the only reality was the one Itachi created for him. Therefore, Naruto should be affected by the supreme _**Sharingan **_technique (one of them, actually).

However, _**Tsukuyomi **_had a weakness, as Itachi had just discovered. It requires a visual trigger, even if it's not just a Genjutsu. Apparently, the optic nerve was the route through which the technique invaded the target's brain. Since Naruto's optic nerves do not work, having being sealed by Saya when she emptied Naruto's eye sockets, there was no way for _**Tsukuyomi**_ to "enter" Naruto.

Of course, there was also the possibility that the creature sealed within Naruto was the real reason _**Tsukuyomi **_didn't work. Itachi decided he would need further experimentation.

Naruto had already discarded the short scene as one of Itachi's odd quirks and sat down next to the taller Uchiha.

"You okay?"

Itachi frowned a bit. "I am well. Why do you ask?"

"Because you don't sound well."

Itachi frowned a bit more. He couldn't tell whether his voice sounded any different. Of course, he was humble enough to admit that Naruto's hearing was probably a lot better than his.

"You sound upset." Naruto concluded.

Itachi stared at Naruto for a moment before lifting his right hand. Naruto flinched for a second when he noticed Itachi's hand over his head (an unconscious reaction consequence of a harsh life he just hadn't been able to get rid of), only to relax when the hand fell gently on his hair.

Naruto actually looked a bit embarrassed while Itachi rubbed Naruto's messy golden spikes with his hand.

"Yes, Naruto-kun. Something certainly bothers me, but it is nothing you should be concerned about."

"Uuu……" It was obvious Naruto still wasn't convinced, but the boy guessed there wasn't really any point on insisting. "……okay."

Itachi nodded and let go of Naruto's head. He had a scroll to finish.

* * *

"……and then I told him: 'You fail at life,' and he urinated on his pants." 

"Whahahahaha, what a loser!!!"

Itachi's face remained impassive while Naruto laughed as if there were no tomorrow. Itachi was done sharing the tale of his last mission to the young demon vessel, who had listened with rapt attention. He didn't even blink (after all, he didn't need to) or open his mouth. Itachi was used to being the center of attention, but this was a rare occasion. Naruto listened not because Itachi was the genius Uchiha, but because he was honestly immersed in his tale.

It was an unusual (but welcome) feeling.

Naruto's laughter was dwindling, so Itachi took the chance to make sure of something he truly needed to know.

"Naruto-kun."

"Hmm? What is it?"

"My brother……what do you think of him?"

Naruto crunched up his nose in thought. "He's a stupid jerk that doesn't like ramen."

"And Pocky." Itachi agreed.

"Yeah! I mean, seriously, is he sick or what!? What kind of person doesn't like…" Naruto munched on the last piece of his strawberry stick and swallowed it. "……something like this!? Or ramen!?"

"Yes, yes……" Itachi nodded sagely. "However, I'd like to hear more on what you think of him."

Naruto lowered his head for a few seconds before looking back up at Itachi. "Well, other than that, I guess he's not that bad……I mean, for an Uchiha. But, I mean, it's not like he's with those police guys anyway. And it's damn fun to make him angry."

Itachi's lips slightly curved upwards. He had already noticed that Naruto had incredible talent at making his little brother furious. Naruto's words had just confirmed what Itachi had suspected for a while: Naruto did it on purpose.

"I mean, really, you Uchihas all need to cool off a bit. That attitude of yours gets annoying after a while. Seriously, can you people even laugh?"

Itachi shook his head in amusement. "Do you think he'll become strong?"

"Anyone can become strong if they train hard." Naruto declared in a tone that left no room for questions.

"……like you?"

"Well, duh!" Naruto grinned. "But, if you mean Sasuke, then the answer is no. He'll never become as badass as me."

"Really……and why would that be?"

"Because I'm going to be the best ninja EVER!!!" Naruto raised his hands up high for emphasis. "Even stronger than you, damn right!"

The visage of Naruto's smiling face triggered something within Itachi. An instant later, he was patting Naruto's head, who whined a bit but allowed Itachi to do as he wished.

"I'll look forward to that fight, then." _Definitely._

"You shouldn't, 'cause I'm kicking your ass."

"We'll see about that, Naruto-kun. More Pocky?"

"You betcha!"

The two happily enjoyed their afternoon snack. It was a cool day and, with Pocky in their mouths, all was right in the world. In Naruto's mind, the only thing that could make the day better would be Saya-neechan and Hina-chan welcoming him at home with steamy bowls of ramen in their hands.

"………I really like hanging out with Sasuke." Naruto concluded with a soft, smooth voice that didn't sound like Naruto at all.

"I mean, it's fun and all and……I guess……I wonder if that's how it feels like……when you have a brother."

He knew he wouldn't get any response from Itachi, so he continued. He didn't even understand why he had said that. It just seemed appropriate to share his thoughts with the elder sibling in that moment.

"Really, ever since I……you know……" Naruto tapped the bandana that covered his "eyes" with the right index finger. "……everything has changed so much……Saya-neechan takes care of me, she cooks awesome meals and she even tells me bedtime stories sometimes……you know……like a mother. Shiki-sensei teaches me all sorts of things, and he would teach me even more if I could read and write……Hina-chan is like a nice sister, and Hana-chan's just so fun and happy and we laugh all the time when we play together……and there's also Sasuke, of course."

"Really, just right now, we're here like this, you telling me cool stories and eating Pocky together……and I think it would be so awesome if you were my big brother……" Naruto actually looked sheepish as he said the next words. "……Itachi-niisan."

Itachi's expression didn't change, even while Naruto poured out his heart to him.

"……if I had known I had to lose my eyes to get all this, to be able to feel all this, to be this happy……damn, I would have gouged them out myself. I mean, being blind sucks and everything, but………" He didn't say more. He didn't really know what to say.

Itachi's only reaction was nodding. There were no doubts in his mind anymore.

He knew what he had to do.

"Is that so……"

Naruto frowned. There was it again. He just couldn't describe it, but Itachi's voice was just **different**.

It was the voice of Uchiha Itachi, genius shinobi. Not the voice of Uchiha Itachi, Sasuke's brother, which Naruto was accustomed to.

Naruto didn't like this voice. It felt like a bad omen.

"Ita-"

"Naruto."

Naruto blinked. He didn't expect the interruption. "Y-Yes?"

"………please………please take care of Sasuke."

Naruto blinked again. Itachi had suddenly disappeared from his black and white sight. An instant later, his all-around perception detected the Uchiha Shinobi's presence right behind him.

"I leave the future in your hands." These were Itachi's last words.

After that, Naruto saw only dark.

* * *

Itachi looked down at Naruto's unconscious body as he gently moved him to a sitting position against the tree Itachi himself had been leaning on until a few seconds ago. He couldn't afford mishaps. Therefore, he had been forced to do that. Naruto had detected "something different" in him. If Naruto shared his thoughts with anyone else, eyes might be drawn towards him. 

Naruto had told him Sasuke was immersed in his shuriken practice (training). Naruto himself wasn't expected until dinnertime or maybe even a bit later. It would take a while until Naruto's caretakers decided to actively look for the boy.

Itachi had plenty of time.

Closing his eyes, the genius Uchiha focused. It was a mission. Just another mission. Like a mission, it would be executed with flawless efficiency.

It was time to write another page in the history of Konoha.

It was time to break apart the boundaries of "Uchiha."

It was time to show why he was the best shinobi of his generation.

It was time to make amends for a mistake that was done a very long time ago……

………just a little.

* * *

Sasuke panted. His hands on his knees, his breathing ragged, his eyes sagging, his smile astounding. 

Twenty out of twenty. Perfect accuracy.

He knew he was the best of his class. That wasn't enough.

"Alright, tomorrow I'll move the targets to more difficult positions." Sasuke muttered to himself, satisfied with the day's results.

His stomach grumbled in protest at being ignored, and Sasuke couldn't help but think of a certain loud-mouthed blond. He also pondered the possibility of his mother cooking ramen for dinner.

Sasuke shuddered.

"Come on, you know that's impossible………"

After picking his shuriken and neatly organizing them in his bag, Sasuke began the long way home. He was late for dinner, and mother didn't like that, after all.

* * *

Uchiha Mikoto winced when the weight of her (_dead……_) husband fell on her prone form. Fugaku had fallen face-down after receiving a lethal blow from behind. His head rested on Mikoto's chest. She would have found it a bit romantic……in any other situation. 

She looked up with weak eyes at her son; her husband's murderer and, if his words were true, the slayer of the entire Uchiha Clan. It was unimaginable. She knew Itachi was talented, extremely talented, but, the **entire **clan? Without giving anybody a chance to raise an alarm, and acting stealthily enough not to draw the attention of the ANBU of any other person in Konoha?

It was just insane.

What about the few Uchiha who were currently outside of Konoha? Would Itachi hunt them down after cleansing the city?

Yes. Yes, he would.

"Why?" She poised the obvious question. Itachi's cold, unemotional gaze looked down at the weak form of his mother.

"……because I know. About the _**Sharingan**_, about Uchiha Madara……about the birth of the clan……and about its future."

Mikoto snorted. Itachi frowned. He could swear it was the first time he had seen her doing such a thing.

"Don't……why……why haven't……killed me……"

_So that's what she wanted to know._

"………because you are my mother, and I love you." It was the absolute truth. It was one of the few bonds that tied Itachi to his own humanity.

Mikoto closed her eyes and wept silently. "I……love you too………so……kill me………please…………"

Itachi couldn't possibly understand his mother's emotions and reasoning in that moment. However, he did what he had to do.

"I'm sorry, mother." He said barely loud enough for her to hear. Then he buried his blade in her body.

* * *

"Hinata, would you be so kind to set the table for me?" 

"Auu……y-yes, sensei."

Each and every single of Hinata's muscles complained when she stood up from the large seat to walk over to the kitchen where her teacher was busy making dinner for four.

"Oh, come on, it cannot hurt that bad." Saya mused. "Inner Hinata" differed.

_Yes, it hurts! It really really really hurts!!! And it's all your fault you sadistic, perverse, twisted woman!!!_

But an order was an order, and Hinata followed it to the letter. Three minutes later, with the table ready with dishes and chopsticks, Hinata slumped down on her seat. She didn't usually stay for dinner at the Houraisan residence, but Saya had insisted.

Saya had a good reason to do this. In the little time she had known Hinata, she had come to understand that Hinata's performance was directly proportional to the amount of contact with Naruto she had. The boy could do as little as tell her to do her best when she arrived for training, and she would give it her all and more that day.

It had taken her a while to understand why this happened. She knew it wasn't love. Hinata was too young to develop even a crush on the boy. Of course, Hinata didn't seem to be affected by the cooties stage, which said a lot about her understanding of the world around her.

No, Hinata didn't really want anything with Naruto. She just wanted to **be** Naruto. Or at least a little bit like him. Saya was sure Hinata wasn't interested in orange and ramen. The two children shared a fascination with herbs and flowers, though. Saya realized she had to ask Naruto just why he liked those things so much.

Unfortunately for Saya, she was just touching the tip of the iceberg in Naruto's and Hinata's abnormal relationship. It would take her a while to see the whole picture.

"Naruto-kun is late……" Hinata murmured and Saya could swear the girl's voice reminded her of a whimpering dog who waits for the return of its master.

* * *

Ignoring the voice that warned him not to, Sasuke opened the door. 

The sound of his beating heart was the only sound inside the house. The dripping of blood from Itachi's blade was imperceptible.

Sasuke's eyes were bloodshot. His sweat felt cold and painful in his skin, like cruel icy needles. The silence, the darkness and the smell (_Oh, Kami, the smell!!!_) were driving Sasuke insane.

But the sight of his parents' dead (or at least agonizing) bodies in the middle of the room by his brother's feet would push him over the edge. He had already seen the bodies on the streets, a few scattered kunai and shuriken belonging to the few who actually managed to react before sweet death claimed them, and blood. Lots of blood.

Itachi had been swift and effective. Not clean.

"FATHER!!! MOTHER!!!" Sasuke exclaimed, calling for the limp figures on the floor. Of course, there was no answer. Itachi exhaled his latest breath loudly enough to be heard and focused his fearsome, penetrating gaze on the younger brother.

Sasuke was too scared, too stunned, too overwhelmed to react to the look on his brother's face. He just needed answers.

"Nii-san!"

No response. Sasuke waited, but there was no answer from Itachi. His ANBU attire was frighteningly clean. Only a thin horizontal slash marred the thick vest's features. Itachi's Konoha _hitai-ate_ glimmered faintly under the moonlight. Sasuke couldn't the bloodied edge of the katana strapped to his brother's back.

"……nii-san!! Nii-san!! Father and mother are……" Sasuke's body shook. He didn't want to say **that **word. "Why!? Why!!? Who the hell……this…"

A sharp tinge of pain in his left shoulder interrupted Sasuke's frantic pleas. Surprisingly enough, Sasuke had heard the sound of the shuriken hitting the door behind him before he felt the pain of the cut the same shuriken had inflicted.

"……foolish little brother……" Itachi murmured, his eyes closed.

Sasuke had always hated being called that. That night, however, it just **terrified him**.

The ominous silence was hitting Sasuke like a sledgehammer working at the rhythm of his frantic heartbeat. Something, maybe a vestige of the shinobi danger sense he would eventually developed, told him he should get as far away from that place as possible.

It was too late. Itachi had opened his eyes. And the _**Mangekyou Sharingan **_revealed itself in all its diabolic glory.

* * *

"I'm home." 

Hinata got off her seat and bowed courteously to the newcomer. "Good evening, Houraisan-sama."

Shiki returned the gesture with a polite nod. "Hello there, Hinata."

"Welcome home, dear." Saya greeted her husband from the kitchen with her trademark gentle smile. "I'd greet you the usual way, but I'm a bit busy with dinner here."

Shiki tilted his head sideways. It was hard to forget that Saya's "usual way" of greeting him involved at least five minutes of tonsil hockey. He wasn't really complaining. He acknowledged it was quite a feat to have maintained the flame of passion burning for so long.

Hinata followed Shiki with her eyes as he, too, took a seat on the dining table and began emptying the courier bag he carried with him. Of course, scrolls and books made most of the content. However, it was a tiny opaque dark green stone that caught Hinata's attention the most.

"That is……Naruto-kun's……"

Shiki followed Hinata's eyes to the small stone. "Oh, yes, Hinata. This is a Wood magatama." Shiki nodded. The jade green magatama was at least twice bigger than the two Naruto used as mediums.

"Oh, it was ready?" Saya leaned over the low counter that separates the kitchen from the dining room to look at stone on the table.

"Yes, it was." Shiki picked the stone and raised it over his head, eyeing it not unlike a jeweler or a gem cutter examines a rough gem. "It's a good one, fortunately."

Hinata had more than a few questions she wanted to ask, but the two elders were already caught in their own conversation.

"Any ideas on what to do with it?"

Shiki shook his head. "This one's already taken, Saya."

"How come?" Saya inquired as she skillfully stirred the vegetables in the frying pan.

"Suika-sama."

Saya's eyes widened in recognition. "Ah, right, we still owe her for Naruto's……"

"Indeed."

"A-Ano……"

Busy as she was with cooking, Saya allowed Shiki to handle Hinata's unspoken inquiry.

"What is it?" Shiki turned to the young girl as he gently put the magatama back on the table. Hinata's eyes shifted between the stone and its owner.

"I-I don't understand……"

Shiki nodded. "Of course you don't." He looked around. "Where's Naruto anyway? I'm sure he'd like to learn about this, too, and I don't like repeating things."

"Na-Naruto-kun hasn't come……yet……"

Shiki turned to Hinata and blinked. "Not here? That's odd."

Saya shrugged. "Either he's fooling around with the Uchiha kid or he got someone to invite him to some ramen……probably the Uchiha kid. He'll be back in a while. Even if he's out there eating ramen, he knows better than to skip dinner."

Shiki nodded in agreement and grabbed a book from those he had taken out of the bag, obviously intending to read a little while Saya was done making dinner. Hinata sat down on her seat again, looking awkwardly tense, her head hung low.

She just couldn't get rid of the strange uneasiness in her chest.

* * *

His body sprawled face down on the wooden floor; Sasuke panted. A clear trail of drool escaped his open mouth; his body seemed unable to control the flow of saliva. He was shaking. His eyes were bloodshot. His breathing was ragged and no sound escaped his mouth other than inhuman groans of exhaustion and relief at the same time. 

Itachi's technique had showed him things. Horrible things. For an instant that became a lifetime in the distorted world of _**Tsukuyomi**_, Sasuke saw his and Itachi's memories. Smiles, words, laughs……his mother's kindness, his father's acknowledgement………powerful memories amalgamated with the bloody recapitulation of his parents' murder at Itachi's hands.

Over and over again, dozens, hundreds of times. He saw Itachi attacking and murdering his parents. Unable to move, unable to speak, unable to react, unable to deny the ever-unfolding scene of cruelty and death in front of him; Sasuke imprinted the vision of the end of his family until the smallest, most innocuous details were stored clear in his mind. He would never forget. The scene would live in his mind more clearly than if he had truly witnessed it.

He was back in his reality. He could see the inert, unmoving bodies of his parents in front of him, in front of Itachi's legs.

"……why……did you……?"

Itachi looked down at the pathetic sight of his defeated brother. Not that he expected anything else. He couldn't think of anything that could challenge the power of _**Tsukuyomi**_……except probably another _**Mangekyou Sharingan**_.

Sasuke's question lingered for a moment. Itachi already knew what to say. It wasn't a lie, but it wasn't even a half-truth, either. Sasuke wasn't ready for the truth.

"………it was to measure my capacity."

It wasn't a lie. If the people of the Uchiha Clan had stopped him, it would have meant that there was a flaw in Itachi's reasoning. But they didn't, and they died, proving in Itachi's mind that the Uchiha Clan mindset was stagnant and weak and, therefore, had to be eliminated. He acknowledged the clan council's attempt at strengthening the clan, as he had read in the secret scroll. However, the intended methods were simply inexcusable.

Of course, good intentions would never save the clan, in Itachi's eyes.

So, he had truly fought to see the extent of the power of the Uchiha Clan……as well as his own. That didn't explain why he had also killed the civilians, the elderly and the children. That's why the whole "measuring capacity" thing was just a secondary justification. The secret clan scrolls were the one fundamental reason.

To Itachi, the content of that scroll justified the annihilation of the clan. The name Uchiha should have never existed on the first place.

Itachi's deranged mind justified the cold-blooded murder of children by claiming that he was sparing them of the curse of being Uchiha.

Then again, he intended to save Sasuke. Sasuke would live, and he would restore the clan, free of the shackles, the taint and the curse of the original Uchiha legacy.

Why just Sasuke, then? Why not allowing the other children to live? Wasn't that just selfishness?

Yes, it was.

Itachi was being selfish. He could have allowed others to live, but his selfishness only saved Sasuke.

"That's…the only reason……" Sasuke groaned. The vision of death still lingered, and it was physically painful. "…you killed everyone……for that……?"

"……it was essential."

Sasuke's nails scratched the wood as he clenched his small fists. It couldn't be. It just couldn't be. "What……that's……"

"……**complete crap!!!**"

His blood-boiling out of control, Sasuke sprung in a burst of motion towards his brother. It was reckless and stupid……and pointless. A hit and a second later, he was back on the floor with a splashing sound. His lips felt the awkward wetness, and he felt the horrible metallic taste of his father's blood. The combination of visual and taste impression hit Sasuke like the fist of a vengeful god, and the same mindless rage that had invaded him a moment before became unbridled terror.

They were dead. His parents were dead. Itachi killed them. Itachi would kill him too.

He ran.

He ran away from a nightmare to find himself within another one. He left his dead parents behind, only to meet the carnage outside. The dark streets painted red and adorned with corpses welcomed him with the cold embrace of dark fate, calling for him to join them in blissful sweet death.

Sasuke shivered and ran some more. He didn't scream. He didn't call for help. His mind and body were shut down and the most elementary choices of actions seemed to elude him. It wasn't a matter of what to do. He wasn't an intelligent human anymore. He was just a bug; a cockroach frantically running not to be smashed by a giant foot.

Itachi's presence halted his run. Standing there, in the middle of the cracked street, bathed by a playful moon that seemed to acknowledge his offering of blood, he was not a human either. To Sasuke's eyes, Itachi was an image of death, the _**Shinigami **_itself.

"Yes……you can't be my brother……" The tears streaming out of Sasuke's face were the blatant proof that he didn't even believe his sad attempt at denial. "……because……"

Sasuke's shattering innocence weakly grasped at the last vestiges of childhood and liveliness. Itachi was the symbol of reality; a cruel, harsh truth that would brand Sasuke forever. Itachi had spared Sasuke from the mark of the Uchiha Clan's ancient history of ambition and power. However, he was creating a new brand of hopelessness and abandon.

Itachi was saving Sasuke from the faults of his ancestors, but he couldn't see that his own faults would become his little brother's ruin.

"The brother you wanted to spend time with has done this……to ascertain your capacity……"

This was the honest truth. Itachi's truth, that is. Itachi truly believed Sasuke would never unleash his full potential as long as he was tied to the destiny of Uchiha.

"I continued acting as the elder brother you desired, and I became your companion to see if that potential lies hidden."

"You found me disagreeable and even hated me. You continued wanting to surpass me. Because of that, I will let you live……….for **our **sake."

"You can awaken the same _**Mangekyou Sharingan **_as me. You may walk my same path, if you so desire. It is of no consequence to me anymore."

"……nii……san……what……?"

"I killed Shisui."

Sasuke's body felt numb. He felt……tight, as if he had entered rigor mortis without being dead. So it was true. Itachi had killed Uchiha Shisui, the person he had acknowledged as his best friend.

"I killed Shisui, and by doing so, I obtained this eye."

Sasuke didn't care about that. He didn't even try to figure out what that was supposed to mean. Nothing made sense. Nothing mattered, really. Everything that was important to him was gone.

"Why……why won't you kill me……?"

Itachi's eyes narrowed a bit. A mental image of his mother came to mind. _……good._

"It would be pointless to kill you. At this moment I could not care less about you."

Even if they came from the murderer of his family, they also came from his brother, the one he had admired. Itachi's words hurt.

"My foolish brother……if you want to kill me……**curse me!****Hate me!** And live a long and **unsightly** life………"

Some years later Sasuke would reflect on this scene and he would remember a certain blind blond using the same word some time before. He would find the coincidence hilarious. However, in that moment, Sasuke could feel nothing but absolute terror.

"…run away…run away……cling to your pitiful life and start again from the gutter."

The elder brother turned his back to the younger, showing only a side of his face.

"One day, when you feel you are ready, come before me."

Sasuke couldn't react in time. Itachi's eyes shifted once more into the black spiral of the _**Mangekyou Sharingan**_, and he suddenly felt numb.

Unconsciousness had never been more welcomed.

* * *

Itachi didn't spare a glance to the fallen form of his younger brother. He was done with Konoha, apparently. He had already destroyed the secret clan scroll. The dark secret of the Uchiha would die with him. He guessed Houraisan Shiki knew at least a part of it, but the seal master had kept the secret for decades. Itachi doubted he would start revealing it all of a sudden, even if the clan was no more. There had been two more scrolls stored with the one containing the clan secrets. He had left one with the unconscious Naruto. 

Itachi searched in one of his pockets for the scroll he had written earlier that day in Naruto's presence. The third and final scroll he had found in the Uchiha secret meeting room was sealed within. It was time to deliver it.

"_**Kage Bunshin no Jutsu**_**."**

No communication was needed. The shadow clone seized the scroll and disappeared. He would circle Konoha in a counter-clockwise direction to reach Training Area 69.

Itachi disappeared a moment later, leaving an unconscious Sasuke in the gloomy company of death. From that moment onwards, Itachi became a missing-nin of Konohagakure.

* * *

Night had fallen a while ago. Hinata knew she was supposed to be at home, but the choking feeling in her chest demanded her not to leave that house before Naruto returned. 

Saya's fine cuisine waited to be devoured. The married couple and their young guest sat quietly around the dining table. They were giving Naruto a chance to arrive in time to eat with them. Saya was tapping his foot impatiently. Shiki seemed to be immersed in his book, but Hinata had noticed him shooting quick glances at the door from time to time. Hinata's fingers twiddled and traced invisible doodles on the fabric of her ocean blue training pants.

The silence was unbearable. Hinata had never wanted to scream so much in her life. The wooden house was barely warm, but Hinata felt it suffocating. She felt alone. She needed noise. She needed life. She needed Naruto.

Suddenly, the two Houraisan blinked at the exact same time. Hinata found this quite scary. Saya had the hint of a mischievous smile, but Shiki looked rather tense.

"He's here……" Saya muttered and Hinata realized the older woman (not that she would ever call Saya old to her face) was picturing the beating she was going to inflict on poor Naruto for being late. Hinata was about to join her in a smile (a gentler one, though), but Shiki shook his head.

"No…this presence……it's a bit……"

A loud banging sound startled the three. Hinata even released a tiny shriek she hoped nobody paid attention to.

"What the!?" Saya exclaimed in obvious annoyance at the same time Shiki hastily made his way to the door. Saya was readying herself to deliver a good punch on Naruto's face for making stupid pranks like that.

It was empty.

"Eh?" Hinata uttered. Saya only frowned. There was no one behind the door.

The two noticed Shiki bending over apparently to pick something. Saya was about to make a comment on Shiki's "nice piece of ass" (which isn't really that nice; she's just messing with him), but something made her refrain to do so. There was some…feeling in the air that told her it wasn't a good time to fool around.

When Shiki turned around, the two females realized the object that had impacted the door was a scroll, which Shiki was currently reading. Saya thought of moving to his side to read with him, but the way his expression changed as he skimmed through the text caught her attention.

He first frowned for a good portion of the text, then his eyes widened in surprise. By what Saya thought was the end of the text, Shiki's hands were white as he clutched the scroll with far more force that should be necessary. His face was an ugly display of surprise, sadness and unbridled rage.

"Shiki……" Saya muttered cautiously. Her call was precisely what Shiki needed. He would have ripped the scroll in two halves had she not done so.

"Damn it………DAMN IT!!!"

Saya and Hinata flinched when the man threw the scroll down with unfocused violence. The object bounced once off the floor before unfurling itself between Shiki and the girls. Hinata stepped back as if the scroll was made of hot coals. Saya only had eyes for her husband. Her angry husband. Her husband who never got angry (unless she was harmed in any way) was infuriated by whatever was written in that scroll.

Her husband was making hand seals.

"_**Kuchiyose no Jutsu**_!!!"

The two familiar poofs of smoke marked the appearance of the two identical two-tailed black cats.

"Shiki-sama!!!!" Chen exclaimed joyfully before leaping to her dear Shiki's face……but Shiki's right hand caught her in mid-jump. Chen's pupils became even narrower when she noticed the fierce expression on her summoner's face. Shin only frowned a bit.

"Chen, find Naruto, NOW!!!"

Saya frowned. **Now **she was worried. Hinata looked like she had just been told she was getting the Curse Seal.

"Wha…" The confused nekomata looked at her master with concern. "…why?"

"JUST DO IT!!!" Shiki bellowed, dropping the black cat, which (obviously) fell on her four paws. Chen curled her body and looked up with a mixture of pain and fear. It was the first time Shiki yelled at her.

It hurt. It hurt immensely.

"Chen, do it." Shin declared; her eyes fixed on Shiki. "Shiki-sama will apologize later. Right now he needs your help."

Shiki blinked. He reviewed the last few seconds in his mind. He frowned. Houraisan Shiki does not behave in such manner.

He mentally kicked himself: he couldn't believe it took the words of a nekomata to help him get his act together, even if that nekomata had always surprised him with her calm and collected act. Shin was right. He had to apologize later. Later. In that moment, there was only one thing that mattered.

"Chen, please."

All the females (human or otherwise) felt the urgency in Shiki's voice. Now Saya was **more than **worried. Chen frowned and nodded, closing her eyes. She wanted to know what was going on, damn it!

"_**Kurohigi**_……_**Gobousei Daihairetsu**_,_** Kouiki**_."

Hinata was the only one surprised by what happened next. Of course, it wasn't the first time Shiki and Saya saw this technique.

A pentagram of light appeared on the floor, centered on Chen's feline body. The pentagram made slow clockwise rotations, and symbols of the likes of nothing Hinata had ever seen appeared from the five points of the star as it moved. Nobody moved to avoid the lines and runes of light, so Hinata didn't move either, not even when the symbols reached the floor under her feet. In two seconds, the whole floor from the entrance where they stood to the kitchen was filled with glowing symbols. Hinata hadn't even noticed that the pentagram, too, had grown to at least four times its original size in that time.

Chen opened her eyes and Hinata had to suppress a gasp. There were white glowing symbols in Chen's eyes, too!

The symbols on the floor glowed so brightly they became indistinguishable, and then disappeared.

After that, everything became a blur.

Hinata shrieked and clutched Saya's left side when the pentagram ended its lethargic spin and began growing at a terrifying pace. She could see the tips extending beyond the house's walls and disappearing within the dense woodland in all directions. At the same time, more pentagrams emerged from the center that was Chen. Pentagrams within pentagrams within pentagrams, all of them spinning, all of them bright. Hinata was grateful they hadn't had dinner yet. She was sure she would have emptied her stomach.

"Found him!"

And everything became dark again. In an instant, there was no light. As if nothing had happened. Hinata had to blink a few times to readjust herself to the absence of supernatural illumination. It took her a moment to realize there only remained a single, tiny white pentagram of light. Chen was sitting on it.

"Damn, he's far……on the other side of the village……I'd say it's one of your training areas."

Shiki fell on his knees in front of the nekomata and put his hands on the floor on both sides of her body.

"Please, Chen, for all that is good and sacred, please tell me that he is alive."

Hinata's face became as blank as her eyes. Saya felt her knees weakening. "Wha…what the……"

Chen frowned. "He's alive and unharmed."

Shiki sighed in relief the likes of nothing he had felt in recent times. Saya and Hinata mimicked him, even if they had no idea of what was going on.

"However……his signature……he's either asleep or unconscious. Does this have anything to do with all the dead bodies in the Uchiha District?"

Saya was about to beat an explanation out of someone when a familiar warning kicked in. Shiki, too, felt the alarm sent by his _**Hakke Happou Fuuin Kekkai**_.

The twin nekomata followed a tense Shiki outside of the house. Saya pulled Hinata with her.

"Where is Hinata!?" Hiashi demanded even before his feet touched the ground. Four bodyguards appeared around him an instant later. Shiki let go an obvious sigh of relief.

"Your daughter is here, don't worry."

The sudden change of pace allowed Shiki to organize his thoughts and decide on a course of action. Many pairs of eyes followed him as he reentered the house and picked up the scroll. Hiashi, who had already moved over to where Hinata was standing and draped an arm protectively around her (much to her surprise and nervousness), eyed him suspiciously as he rolled back the scroll and concealed it within the wide left sleeve of his cheongsam.

"What was that?"

"Itachi's confession. We found it by the door a minute ago." Shiki explained before Hiashi could even think of label him as Itachi's accomplice.

"So, it was really Itachi……?"

"So it seems. Take your daughter home." He turned to one of the twin two-tailed cats. "Shin, go with Saya and look for any survivors. Chen, take me to Naruto."

Hiashi frowned. "Where's Naruto?"

"Missing. Chen has just tracked him. He's alive, but we're going to check on him."

"Do you think Itachi……?"

Shiki's eyes narrowed dangerously. "For Itachi's sake, I hope not."

"Anybody cares to tell me **what the fuck **is going on!?"

* * *

**Author's Notes: **There it is. Itachi did his thing. I hope the readers familiar with the canon version of the Uchiha Massacre noticed the differences with this version. Here Itachi never directly told Sasuke that he had to kill his best friend to gain the _**Mangekyou**_. He also destroyed the secret scroll instead of telling Sasuke to go read it. There are other modifications, of course, all of them meant to further the divergence between my AU and the canon storyline. 

Honestly, this chapter was hard to write. The dichotomy between the lighter scenes at the beginning and the dark events of that night was quite difficult to portray without breaking the flow of the story. I think it could have been better, but my skills at writing do not reach that far.

While the massacre was obviously the high point of the chapter, I hope everyone paid attention to all the other things that made the background of Naruto's story: Saya's lessons (beyond the Taijutsu), the evolution of Hinata's personality (even I am starting to fear what Hinata is becoming), Anko, the humor and the association Sasuke makes between Naruto's and Itachi's crazy antics……heck, even Chen's bigass tracking technique gives a hint of what's to come.

Alright, more and I'll start writing spoilers.

Next chapter! Obviously, the aftereffects of the Uchiha Massacre. Can Naruto save Sasuke from the dark and awfully **annoying **path of the emo avenger? And what's in the scrolls, anyway?

A stage in Naruto's life ends. The Academy years are upon us!

* * *

**Narutionary**

_**Hina-nagashi **_(雛流し): Doll Floating. A festival held on the third day of the third month. Through prayer, people transfer their sins and misfortunes to a straw or paper doll (流し雛, _Nagashi-hina_), which is then set afloat on a boat and sent down a river to the sea.

_**Kurohigi **_(黒秘儀): Black Ritual. One of the two types of supernal techniques utilized by Nekomata (the other being **Wizardry**), mostly focused on the perception and manipulation of lesser youkai, ghosts or the undead.

_**Mangekyou Sharingan **_(万華鏡写輪眼): Kaleidoscope Copy Wheel Eye. The heightened form of _**Sharingan**_. Unlike the normal _**Sharingan**_, _**Mangekyou**_'s appearance and powers differ from person to person.

_**Nukenin **_(抜け忍): Missing Ninja, or missing-nin for short. The title given to ninja who have abandoned their Hidden Village, and therefore are considered traitors and hunted down because of any village secret they might possess.

_**Tokubetsu Jounin **_(特別上忍): Special High Ninja or Special Jounin. Unlike ordinary Jounin, who have achieved excellence in all areas of the ninja profession, Special Jounin are, like their name says, ninja who possess Jounin-level (or even higher) ability in a single area or skill which has become their specialization.

* * *

**Technique List**

_**Iwa Bunshin no Jutsu **_(岩分身の術, C-rank, Supplementary): Rock Clone Technique. Creates one or more clones of the user out of solid rock.

* * *

_**Gobusei Daihairetsu, **__**Kouiki **_(五芒星大配列,広域) 

**Name: **Pentagram Great Array (Wide Area)

**Type: **Supernal Art (_Kurohigi_), Supplementary, All ranges

With this technique, a nekomata can detect all forms of life and unlife within an ample radius and, in the case of a live subject, its overall health. The Wide-Area version of this technique can even cover an entire city within its scope, but few nekomata develop this technique to such a level, as it requires a considerable expenditure of chakra, as well as lots of training to develop (and most nekomata do not have the patience to undergo such training on their own).

* * *

_**Tsumuji Mai**_

**Name: **Whirlwind Dance

**Type: **C-rank, Offensive, Short range (0-5 m)

**User: **Houraisan Saya, Hyuuga Himeko, Hyuuga Hinata

A special move of the _**Karyuu **_(Fire Dragon) Taijutsu style, consisting of a spinning air combo with a thrusting kick finisher.

* * *

_**Tsukuyomi **_(月読, Hiden, Offensive, Undetermined range): Moon Reader. A special _**Kekkei Genkai**_ technique unique to Uchiha Itachi's _**Mangekyou Sharingan**_. By making eye contact, Itachi replaces the victim's reality with an alternate phantasmic reality of Itachi's creation. The only constant in this alternate reality is that Itachi is God and therefore, he may control every single aspect of it, including and not limited to its appearance and the flow of time. 


	10. End of the Phantasmagoria, Part 1

**Disclaimer:**Repeat after me! Daneel Rush does not own Naruto……alright, two more chapters and we get to the REAL stuff!

* * *

_**Phantasmagoria of Dichromatic Eyes**_

**Chapter 7**

**End of the Phantasmagoria (Part I) – Heir of Houraisan**

* * *

Shiki couldn't help but realize the place seemed incredibly at odds with the situation less than a minute before. Hiashi and his bodyguards had left, taking a confused and anguished Hinata with them. Saya had taken Shin with her to the Uchiha District, as per his orders. She was to look for any survivors and aid the Hokage in any possible way. Shin would use her nekomata powers to detect both life and death to find anyone who (miraculously) might have been spared from Itachi's fatal judgment.

The light of the full moon was filtered by the tree ocean of Training Area 69. The Houraisan residence was bathed in a dim shower of moonlight. In the mild darkness, there was only an ageless man and his most loyal and devoted nekomata.

Chen waited for her next instructions, looking up at him with her big, round, orange feline eyes. Eyes that looked at him as if he were her whole world.

He had figured out a few years before that Shin and Chen loved him. It wasn't really hard to figure it out after that one night Shin offered to be the mother of his children. Chen yelling "Me too!! Me too!!" while bouncing and prancing like Naruto on a sugar rush was just the icing on the cake. Apparently, the twins had reached a stage of their nekomata lives in which they felt a powerful urge to mate and make a family. He just couldn't understand why they had chosen him instead of finding males of their own species. Besides, if they mated, what would the result be? Ordinary humans? Ordinary **housecats**?

On a side note, that would be fricking hilarious. Hilarious and creepy.

Or maybe a _**Hanyou**_, a human-youkai hybrid?

Shiki did know several cases of humans breeding with youkai. However, as far as he knew, nekomata didn't mix with humans. In fact, he was the only person with a nekomata summoning contract, as far as he knew, even if it was just a filial contract.

"Chen."

"Y-Yes?" The startled youkai stuttered a bit in her response. She was obviously still affected by his earlier behavior. He gently patted his own right shoulder.

"Come here."

Shiki couldn't even notice her eyes widening due to the speed with which she moved to her favorite place in the world. She didn't have problems using her chakra to stick her body to Shiki's back (using her claws was not a good idea, after all), resting her head on his shoulder. The man's right hand scratched somewhere behind her right ear and Chen purred in utmost ecstasy. Her master knew all the right spots.

"Sorry about before. Really."

"It's…okay……just don't stop………"

Shiki snorted. Why did he even bother?

They had to go get Naruto. However, there was one last thing that intrigued him. A hand seal later, Itachi's scroll was in his left hand. Unfolding it past the end of Itachi's confession, he looked at the short postscript at the far end of the scroll.

"_Please do as you feel most convenient, Houraisan Shiki-san."_

The seal under this text was awfully simple, of course. Shiki had absolutely no trouble figuring out how to unseal whatever was contained in the inscription.

A second, much larger scroll fell on the grass in front of Shiki with a loud low-pitched thud. Unlike the smaller scroll with Itachi's confession, this second scroll was obviously ancient and quite elaborate. The outer side had been covered with a red layer of something that seemed like animal skin of some sort and adorned with rustic images of vermilion birds and flames.

"I can't believe it."

"Huh? What is it?" Chen asked, puzzled by her master's reaction to this new apparition.

Shiki eyed the big scroll with suspicion. Its size reminded him of the large scroll the Toad Hermit, Jiraiya, carried with him at all times. Shiki rarely carried scrolls of such massive size. However, with its size and external appearance, Shiki had a good idea of the nature of the scroll on the ground in front of him. He just couldn't believe it.

"It makes sense, though. No wonder they took Suzaku-sama as their symbol."

It took Shiki five seconds to study the square-shaped paper strip that work as a locking seal, and another five seconds to dispose of it. Another five seconds later, the large scroll was unfurled on the grass.

"This……a summoning contract?" Chen inquired. Of course she could recognize a summoning contract. Her sister carried the one that bound them to Shiki.

"Yes……the _**hinotori **_summoning contract………but this one's been lost since before the foundation of Konoha……I should have known the Uchiha had it…….however……."

Shiki looked at the last name inscribed.

"Hyuuga Fuyuki……Hiashi's great-great-grandmother………obviously Madara must have stolen it when he rescinded himself from the Hyuuga Clan. But he was never able to use it……how funny."

It was obvious Madara (or any Uchiha for that matter) could never have forged a contract with the birds of fire. The _**hinotori**_ are extremely exotic creatures, and no more than a dozen of them exist, plus their leader, the quasi-deity Suzaku. A contract with them binds whoever signed the contract with a single _**hinotori**_ selected by Suzaku. This makes sense because _**hinotori**_ are immortal: they won't die of age or illness. However, _**hinotori**_ cannot procreate, either, which explains why they have slowly dwindled in number as they have been killed by humans or other supernatural creatures. For this reason, _**hinotori**_ are extremely mistrustful, and they would only accept to forge a contract with humans of great virtue.

Needless to say, great virtue was not one of Uchiha Madara's qualities of note.

Shiki rolled the contract again and took his time to store both Itachi's confession and the contract in a paper strip. He would never get tired of saying it: seals are the most convenient thing ever.

"Take me to Naruto."

"Aye, aye, Shiki-sama!"

* * *

The Third Hokage, with all his ninja training, couldn't conceal his emotions this time. He had seen immensely worse things in his long life and career as a Shinobi. He had triumphed in battlefields bathed in blood and flames. He had witnessed and inflicted forms of death that would traumatize most ordinary people in their sheer gruesomeness. 

However, when it took place in the middle of his village……it just wasn't the same. Watching the corpses of the Uchiha Clan (_The children! Oh, God, the children!!!_) carved a scar in his soul he just knew would never heal.

At the very least, Itachi had been considerate enough to dispose of the civilians with swift, painless deaths. Most of them probably didn't even know what hit them.

It was a good thing that most of the people examining the scene were ANBU. It was better if he couldn't see the expressions on their faces.

"Sarutobi." A female voice greeted him from behind. Even **her **voice conveyed a sense of defeat and forlornness. It made him feel even worse. If one of the most joyful persons he had ever met was acting like that, how was he supposed to deal with it?

A sudden white light triggered his ninja instincts and he turned around, taking a step back and assuming a stance. Three ANBU appeared by both his sides, proving they were attentive and well trained. He relaxed the moment he saw the source of the light. A concealed hand gesture dismissed the three ANBU, who returned to their duties of looking for survivors and collecting any evidence that would help reconstruct the sequence of events that took place in the now-deserted district a while ago. The fact that the ANBU didn't even hesitate to leave their leader was another display of their fine training.

"Please warn me before you do that, Shin-san……or is it Chen-san?"

"I'm Shin." The black cat uttered in a neutral tone as she extended her Pentagram Crest to cover the whole district. She was used to people being unable to distinguish her from her twin. They were wholly identical in their cat form after all. Even Saya still confused them from time to time. Only Shiki was able to tell one of the other regardless of shape and form.

That made her extremely happy. It made her feel truly unique.

There are two "easy ways" to tell Shin from Chen. In their anthropomorphic form, Shin is the long-haired one.

The other way is by studying their skills. Chen is the most skilled in combat, both short and long range. Shin is more of a thinker than a do-er: an extremely rare breed among the mostly active and tireless nekomata. It also explains why Shin can deploy the Pentagram Crest instantaneously, without declaring the name of the technique or taking time expanding the fractal fields.

"Anything so far?"

"No, but it takes some time to sweep the whole place." The aged Hokage declared before looking down at the cat, which had her eyes closed. "Shiki's partner will be a great help."

Saya scowled at Sarutobi's choice of words. "**I'm **Shiki's partner. She's just a servant creature."

Shin opened her left eye to shoot a glance at the woman. "I am nobody's servant, Saya-sama, and I am sure Shiki-sama would agree with me. I became his _**shikigami**_ of my own volition."

Shiki's wife glared down at the two-tailed cat. "You serve him because the contract binds you to him."

"I'm quite certain Shiki-sama would not hesitate to declare the contract null and void if I asked him to. That would mean nothing: I would still follow him."

Saya bit her lip. She hated being outsmarted. Then again, Shin was like a miniature female feline version of her husband.

"Shin-san, have you found anything of note?" Sarutobi intervened with a smooth but stern tone. He was quickly losing his patience. There were far more important things at hand than a little quarrel between a slightly mental woman and a talking cat.

"Well, sorting out all the signatures that I believe belong to your ninjas……there are two signatures of note……they're close to each other. Follow me……"

"Hokage-sama!" A horse-masked ANBU appeared before the three, immediately kneeling before is highest-ranked superior. "We have found Uchiha Sasuke. He is unconscious but unharmed."

Sarutobi released a long sigh of relief. One survivor. One survivor was a lot better than nothing.

"Well, that's one of them." Shin declared. "Please look around; I feel another very weak signature of life near that one."

"Do as she says." The Hokage insisted.

"Yes!" The ANBU affirmed before disappearing in a burst of speed.

"So Itachi spares his little brother……" Saya muttered.

"Itachi? How do you……?"

Saya quickly explained about Itachi's confession and Naruto's worrisome absence.

"Naruto!?" Sarutobi hissed. "Do you think he got to…?"

Saya's eyes flickered with a burst of killing intent.

"If he is he's as good as dead, Uchiha genius or whatever."

Only the fact that he was who he was prevented Sarutobi from shivering. It was still slightly uncomfortable. In any case, the Hokage didn't doubt Saya would be true to her promise. He was glad the young vessel and the Taijutsu Goddess had developed such a relationship. He would have preferred a slightly less deranged mother figure for Naruto, though.

On the other side, it wasn't probably as bad as Naruto's real mother. He still wasn't sure if the fact that she was gone forever was a good thing or a bad thing.

"Hokage-sama! Uchiha Mikoto-san is alive!"

* * *

"He's unconscious." Chen stated the obvious. Shiki replied with a grim smile. 

"It looks like he's sleeping……"

He was, however unable to hide the expression of utmost relief on his ever-young face. He didn't know what he'd have done if something had happened to Naruto, anything.

_Of course I know……I would have killed Itachi._

"I see no signs of wounds or anything……but I'm not really sure what to look for." Chen pouted. She purred when Shiki scratched the crown of her head, though.

"It's okay……as long as he is alive and stable."

"He is."

"Good. Saya will make a complete check-up later."

He examined the scene around Naruto. Shiki could infer Itachi had knocked him out and put him in his current position; resting against the tree like that. A large scroll similar in size to the _**hinotori**_ contract stood vertically to Naruto's left. However, this scroll wasn't nearly as ornate as the Firebird Contract. It could be anything, and Shiki didn't recognize it at first glance. Of course, the darkness of night didn't help much.

"Chen, light."

"_**Onibi**_."

Two wisps of orange flame appeared, floating idly on the tips of Chen's tails.

"Thank you."

"Very welcome."

Chen's light allowed Shiki to notice a smaller object resting near Naruto's right hand. He was sure Chen had noticed it before (she's a magical**cat**), even in the darkness, but it was too insignificant a detail to deserve a warning to her master and friend.

Shiki couldn't help but raise an eyebrow.

"……I would have never imagined Itachi to be one for sentimentalisms."

Shiki took the box of Strawberry Pocky and stored it in the pocket of Naruto's pants. "Now, let's check this scroll, shall we?"

A few seconds later, it was unfurled and recognized.

"What is it? Is it another contract?" Chen asked, unable as she was to read the written words. Unlike her sister, she had never bothered learning the strange symbols humans used to convey ideas in written form.

"This……this is the Crow Summoning Contract."

"Crow?" Chen tilted her head. "Does that include Tengu?"

"Uhh……definitely not."

"Then who's the crow boss?"

"If I had to guess……Yatagarasu-sama?"

"Ah, right, three-legs! You think he's tasty? I bet he's tasty."

Shiki didn't even bother following **that **trail of thought.

"I've never eaten Tengu, but mom once said they were really delicious."

"Oh, Kami, that was one thing I didn't need to know……why would Yukina eat a Tengu, anyway?"

Chen shrugged. "She was hungry?"

"Seriously, why do I even bother……let's just go home for now……actually, why don't you go get Saya for me while I take Naruto to the house?"

"Sure thing! But I'm kinda hungry now, so I might not be as fast as I could……"

Shiki groaned as he rolled the scroll to seal it. "Just go already, Chen."

* * *

Hinata couldn't sleep. Sitting on the bed with her legs curled together and her arms wrapped around them, she looked out the window at the ominous full moon. She felt like she was back in that horrible rainy day a bit over four months ago. Was there a full moon that night, too? She couldn't remember. 

Her father and his bodyguards had remained awfully silent on the way back to the mansion. However, she had been able to feel the latent tension in the air. Just like that night, her father didn't return home with them, instead taking another way before they reached the Hyuuga grounds, taking two of the bodyguards with him. Just like that night, she was confused and worried sick. If she had been completely ignorant of what was happening, it might have been a bit easier to deal with the whole situation. Unfortunately for her, she had managed to read the first line of the scroll they had found at the door of the Houraisan house.

"_I, Uchiha Itachi, have annihilated the entirety of my clan."_

The Uchiha Clan, the second clan in importance in Konoha (after the Hyuuga, **of course**); erased from the face of the earth by one of their own.

It was terrifying.

For an instant, her thoughts drifted to her classmate, Sasuke. The fangirls would be devastated.

However, there was another matter at hand; so important that Sasuke disappeared to the most remote corners of her mind, where unimportant details go to vanish forever.

Naruto.

Her Naruto.

He was missing. Shiki-sama's cat (_nekomata_, she remembered) had declared that he was alive but probably unconscious. It was relieving, but……what if Itachi had done something to him?

Hinata shivered and curled her body even tighter. Hadn't Naruto-kun suffered enough? He had already lost his eyes, he was already the "demon brat" (almost) everybody hates! What else could they take away from him!?

………what could she do for him?

If Itachi had done something to him, what could she do, then? It's not like she can just go after Itachi and punish him, no matter how much she'd want to. What could she do for Naruto? She was weak. She lacked talent (no matter how much Saya tried to convince her otherwise) and she couldn't be all joyful and playful and happy like Hanabi. After all, she wasn't two years old.

(How long would that last, Hinata wondered. She hoped with all her heart that Naruto would somehow save his little sister from her own Hyuuga legacy. She trusted Naruto would do it. Naruto could do anything. And she also knew it wouldn't involve the assassination of every Hyuuga.)

She couldn't even be his friend openly. She wouldn't be able to greet him if she met him on the street, being forced to consider her position and social standing. She won't be able to eat lunch with him when he entered the Academy. She won't be able to even engage in conversation. She will have to ignore him, dismiss him just like she was dismissed by everyone else for being a shy, dark, weirdo.

She hated herself. She hated the world. She hated politics and the unfairness of it all. She hated that wonderful people like Naruto had so little when he deserved far more than a worthless person like her. She hated the fact that Naruto, who had to struggle for everything, and her, who had everything, both suffered so much in different yet also awfully similar ways.

It was then when Hinata reached a terrifying conclusion.

Naruto was simply **that** kind of person. The kind of person that got in trouble without even looking for it. With his will and drive and his desire to be respected and appreciated by everyone, he would get involved with both the right and the wrong people. His way of always saying whatever was in his mind would get him in trouble. He was going through an uphill path in which he would find plenty of difficult, even painful, obstacles. She knew that because she had a similar path of her own, a path she had been too afraid to face before she met Naruto.

She was a very realistic person, especially for her age. She knew the life of a shinobi was anything but heroic and honorable. She knew it involved pain, betrayal, sacrifice and lots, lots of blood. The recent history of the Hyuuga Clan was the prime example of this.

And then there was Naruto. She didn't want that bright, sunny smile of his to be broken and shattered by the harsh, gloomy world of shinobi.

She wouldn't allow it to happen. She needed that smile.

Before that night, Hinata had no real reason to become a kunoichi. She was doing it because it was her path as the heiress of the Hyuuga. That night, she forged her reasons.

One, she'd need to be strong in over to take command of the clan the way she intended to. She would become strong, no matter how long it took. Taijutsu training with Saya might be progressing slower than a snail's pace, but, as long as she had her sun, her support, her inspiration, she knew she could do anything.

Which led to her second reason.

Naruto had promised they would become strong together. She couldn't become strong without Naruto.

She would become strong. She would become his right hand, and she would protect him. She wouldn't allow herself to be too young, too small, too weak to allow her Naruto-kun to be hurt. His wonderful cerulean eyes were gone. She would not let the rest of him disappear. She wouldn't allow Naruto to die.

She needed him too much to allow that to happen. The world needed him too much for her to allow that to happen.

No, she would protect him. And he would protect her. And they would grow strong and overcome any obstacle. He wouldn't die.

She would die herself before that happened. After all, there was no point in her being alive if he wasn't there to drive her to become the person she wanted to become.

She would take over the Hyuuga Clan, and the clan will serve her, but she will serve Naruto. There was little she could offer him, but everything she could would be his. She would watch him; she would grow with him, and he would acknowledge her and allow her to stand by his side.

"_Let's become strong. Together."_

"Yes." Hinata whispered in a hushed tone that spoke of terrible doom who anyone who dared stand in the way of her dream.

"Together. Strong. Together. I'll never let anyone hurt you, Naruto-kun. I promise."

That night, a part of Hyuuga Hinata's soul died forever.

* * *

"Is this true?" Sarutobi looked up at the leader of Houraisan after finishing reading the scroll. Almost twenty-four hours had passed. Of course, there was no trace of Itachi. He had already been declared a missing-nin of Konoha. "This……the _**Sharingan**_……" 

"Every word of it." Shiki declared. He was standing in front of the Hokage's desk. His wife was reclined on a chair behind him, wiping some dirt off her nails.

The three people present in the room were the only ones who had read the scroll in its entirety. The information in it was too delicate to be allowed to become public knowledge. Shiki hadn't even allowed Hiashi to read it.

"So……the _**Byakugan**_……"

"Yes. Konoha's two great doujutsu share that common past. We do not know a thing about the third one, though. As a savant, it bothers me."

Sarutobi dismissed Shiki's sentence by waving his hand in annoyance. He had absolutely no interest in Shiki's knowledge (or lack of) of other_** doujutsu**_ in that moment.

"And Naruto, four months ago……"

"Yes." Shiki growled, and a spike of killing intent from behind told them Saya was thinking some very nasty thoughts aimed at Uchiha Itachi in that moment.

"I see………a few things do make sense now, I guess."

While Shiki and Saya had sworn to protect the secret of Konoha's_** doujutsu**_, he couldn't deny the Hokage the chance to read the scroll. A terrible crime had taken place in his village. Keeping the scroll to themselves would have made the Houraisan Itachi's accomplices. And the last thing they wanted was to help the intellectual author of the attack that resulted in Naruto's near-death and the permanent loss of his eyes.

Sarutobi buried his head in his hands and shook it. Was it just him but all the royally fucked up people lived in his village? He knew he was being unfair; he was sure a good deal of crazy shit happened in the other Hidden Villages (especially Kiri and Kumo), but……damn!

"Let me get this straight." Saya suddenly interrupted the two. "The Uchiha Clan intended to use Naruto for some sort of selective breeding shit that would create Super Uchiha Babies of Doom?"

"Despite the……flavorful choice of words……yes, that's basically it." Shiki responded. "At least that's what Itachi says here. They would have purposely weakened the seal to allow more of the Nine-Tails chakra to infuse Naruto, hoping some of that would be imprinted in his offspring to study its potential effect on the_** Sharingan**_. An amazingly stupid plan if you ask me. Stupid, but understandable." Shiki nodded. Saya rolled her eyes.

"Sounds like something Danzou would do."

Sarutobi could swear he heard a very faint voice from below screaming "SUPER BABIES OF **DOOM**!!!!!" He shook his head dismissing the thought.

He really was too old for this Hokage job.

"That actually………you think……"

"Danzou working with the Uchiha?" Shiki shrugged. "Even if it were a possibility, I don't think we could find any links between them anymore, with the clan destroyed and everything. There might still be documents lying around, so you could still give it a shot."

"But, really……" Sarutobi muttered, looking down at the long scroll fully unfurled on the desk. "Some of the things here……were they really that desperate to strengthen their bloodline?"

"They were even trying to reproduce our Body Sealing techniques……with little success, of course." Shiki declared and the Hokage could perceive a bit of smugness in his tone.

"For Kami's sake, Shiki, according to this, Fugaku was experimenting on his own wife!!!"

"Itachi isn't lying." Saya declared. "There are at least three disturbance points in her chakra system that could be a consequence of flawed seals. It might even be the real reason she didn't return to active service after Itachi was born. I think you should take a look at her, dear. According to Itachi, it was also a matter of time before they got started with Sasuke. They were insane, the whole lot of them."

The couple watched in respectful silence while the aged village leader studied several passages of the text Itachi had left.

"……Shiki."

"Yes, Hokage-sama?"

"After reading this……I've been thinking………I want you to be fully honest with me."

Shiki frowned. "Of course. I tend to avoid lying, you know."

"……then……do you know why Kyuubi attacked Konoha?"

Shiki frowned. "Who am I to know what is in the mind of the mightiest of youkai? I'm sorry to disappoint you, but I do not know."

"……are you being honest with me?"

"Whether you believe me or not is entirely your problem. I do get an idea of what you might be thinking about. You think the Uchiha might have had something to do with Kyuubi's appearance."

"It's a possibility……" Sarutobi sighed. "After reading this, I wouldn't be surprised if that were the case. Saya, what about Sasuke-kun?"

"Why the hell do you ask me? I'm not one of your medic-nins! I haven't even seen the brat."

"Oh, I just thought………forget it. I apologize. Then, how about Naruto? How is he taking this?"

Shiki made an odd look before turning to look at his wife, as if asking her to answer for him. Saya shrugged.

"Well, he is certainly taking it better than we expected……"

* * *

"Stupid……excessive……traitorous………BASTARD!!!!" 

"Kyaah!!!" Hinata cried in the cute way only Hinata can when Naruto's palm thrust to her chest sends her to the ground, falling unceremoniously on her butt. She took her time wiping some dirt off her clothes and standing up, keeping her eyes on the panting boy in front of her.

Obviously, the whole village was aware of the last night's events after almost 24 hours. Obviously, the Uchiha Massacre was the major topic for gossip that day. The Third Hokage had tried to keep a semblance of normalcy. Lessons at the Academy took place normally. Of course, Uchiha Sasuke shined with his absence, even if it was already known that both he and his mother survived. The woman was still in a risky condition, even after multiple applications of healing jutsu. Itachi had missed the vital spot just barely. Of course, anyone who put some thought into it quickly figured out that Itachi had obviously spared his mother. Uchiha Itachi never missed, especially not against a still, helpless target.

She had been quite annoyed when Saya told her she couldn't train her that day. How was she supposed to become strong if she wasted a day!?

Of course, when Saya let her know that she was in charge of watching over Naruto, Hinata's frustration quickly settled down. Saya told her that, ever since they told him what happened, Naruto had been awfully silent. Shiki and Saya hoped Naruto would open up to a friend.

When Naruto asked her to fight him the moment the couple turned their backs to them, Hinata was pretty surprised.

The truth was that even Hinata would have been able to beat the crap out of Naruto that afternoon. His moves were too obvious, too awkward and too straightforward. One of the first things Saya-sensei had taught her was that a true warrior fights with body, mind and heart working together as one.

"_And whoever says anything else has never been in a __**real**__ fight, I tell you!"_

It was blatantly obvious that Naruto's mind wasn't in the sparring match at all. However, Hinata let him hit her. She let him pour out his frustration through his fists. It was a lot better than just staying quiet and let his emotions eat at his insides.

Besides, she always maneuvered to minimize the damage she took.

"What was he THINKING!? Is he INSANE!? Why did he-!? How could he-!? Why……DAMN IT!!!"

Hinata simply raised an eyebrow. Inner Hinata had a lot more to say.

_Umm……yeah! I mean, seriously, DUH! Isn't that, like, the sole conclusion you get out of this!? Uchiha Itachi is insane! Crazy! Batshit __**LOCO!!!**_

* * *

"I see……what about the summoning contracts?" The Third Hokage inquired.

"What about those?"

"Well, Itachi left the crow contract with Naruto, so I guess he expects the boy to sign it. Will you let him?"

Shiki shrugged. "The boy is a Wind-type, so it seems fairly appropriate. Once he becomes a shinobi, if he wants to sign the contract, so be it. It's not like we have a reason to stop him from doing so."

The Hokage nodded. "What about the other one?"

"It originally belonged to the Hyuuga, so I guess we'll eventually give it back to them."

Sarutobi raised an eyebrow. "……eventually? As in when?"

Saya grinned. "Hmm……when Hinata becomes the clan leader, maybe?"

Sarutobi grimaced. "Conniving bastards."

He slid a finger down to a particular section of the scroll. "Now, this is what doesn't make any sense to me."

"It doesn't make sense to anyone, Saru." Saya added. "If Itachi went so far as to annihilate his entire clan to protect Naruto, why the hell did he have someone try to kill him on the first place?"

Nothing in the scroll gave a hint that could explain Itachi's initial decision of ending Naruto's life. He had just confessed being the intellectual author of the attack, even explaining how he had manipulated one of his fellow ANBU into attacking Naruto despite the harsh laws against it; the combination of Genjutsu and a slightly modified version of a very particular herb concoction Saya was awfully familiar with.

He had explained the how. What nobody could figure out was the why.

Only Itachi knew. It would remain like that for quite a while.

* * *

"Na-Naruto-kun! I-I-I d-d-don't think t-this is a g-g-good idea!" _Stop it with the stuttering already!_

Naruto didn't bother to stop or even look at her. "Why not?"

"A-Ano……umm………"

"Silly Hina-chan. Hurry up!"

When Naruto suddenly covered his fake eyeballs with his bandana, Hinata felt a bit worried, because it meant Naruto intended to go to the village proper. More precisely, he intended to pay a visit to Sasuke at the hospital. Saya's instructions didn't forbid them from leaving Training Area 69, though, so she just followed him from a distance. After all, she couldn't be seen together with him.

She had hated every second of it. _One day. One day we'll walk proudly together._

Naruto was smart enough to let Hinata handle the nurse receptionist. After the Hyuuga heiress got the number of Sasuke's room, Naruto sneaked inside the hospital and took the lead again. He didn't know if his status as "the boy everybody hates for some reason" would cause him troubles in the Konoha Hospital, but he'd rather not take risks.

He opened the room's door with a bang. "Yo, Sasuke!"

Naruto's half-forced smile was quickly replaced with a frown. The bed was close enough to the window so that Sasuke could get a good view of the village beyond. The youngest of the last Uchiha was staring in that direction with vacant, emotionless eyes, apparently unaware of Naruto's presence.

Hinata's head shyly peaked out one side of the doorframe. "A-Ano……sorry for the intrusion, Uchiha-kun……"

If Naruto's boisterous arrival didn't trigger a reaction from Sasuke, needless to say that Hinata's was just as ignored.

Naruto sighed. He sat down on the edge of the bed, his eyes never leaving Sasuke's face.

"Hey there, Sasuke. How ya doin'? Ugh……stupid question, isn't it?"

Sasuke only looked down, apparently to look at the hands that clutched the sheets. Hinata kept her distance, taking a seat to settle down on a corner of the room. It wasn't that she didn't care about the Uchiha, she just figured it would be pointless for her to intervene. Besides, she wanted to watch Naruto-kun. Would he save Itachi's brother just like he had saved her?

Well, that, and she didn't really care about the Uchiha.

"Okay, since you're so silent, I guess you don't mind if we stick around for a while, ne?"

And stay they did.

Hinata had learned patience a long time ago, so she had it in spades. When it came to Naruto, she could take anything (or, at least, that's what she told herself). Certainly, lots of patience is needed to deal with Uzumaki Naruto. So she was patient and stayed perfectly still on her seat like a flawless doll. She still couldn't understand why Naruto was just sitting there on the bed invading Sasuke's personal space. She could only tell it was definitely bothering the young Uchiha, even if he didn't show it much. Even her undeveloped _**Byakugan**_ gave her superior perception, and Hinata was naturally attentive to detail. She could see the way Sasuke's grasp of the white sheets loosened and tightened, and the way his head barely shifted a bit to the left sometimes before correcting itself, as if finally deciding to face Naruto but quickly changing his mind.

She estimated Sasuke would hold another 10 or so minutes.

She was close enough. Eight minutes fifty-one seconds.

"……what do you want……?" Sasuke's voice was low, harsh and coarse, as if he had a bad cold. He still didn't face Naruto, though.

Naruto smiled. "Oh, so you are talking." As if doing it just for the sole purpose of pissing Sasuke off, Naruto calmly reached for a piece of Itachi's favorite snack.

Hinata noticed the curious way in which Naruto had strapped the Pocky box Itachi had left for him to his right leg, as if it were a "Pocky holster" of sorts. Naruto would never replace that box, only refilling it when necessary and, like Itachi, always keeping the snack at hand for whenever he felt like taking a bite……which was almost all the time.

Sasuke squeezed the inexistent life out of the poor bed sheets in concealed fury. Hinata saw this and knew Naruto was trekking a very dangerous path. If what she was told by the nurse at the reception desk was true, those might have been Sasuke's first words since he regained consciousness. Sasuke was physically unhurt, but the trauma suffered is immense. In addition, the medic-nins detected faint foreign traces that suggest the use of a very powerful Genjutsu or something of that nature.

Genjutsu, by their very nature, are usually untraceable and undetectable save for their obvious effects on the victim. Only the most powerful illusory techniques leave a tenuous trace of their user's chakra in the victim's system.

The medics' diagnosis was that, whatever it was Itachi did to his little brother, it was particularly nasty. Of course, she had shared this information with Naruto in a series of hurried whispers while they made their way there.

If Naruto had the intention to help such an obviously……damaged person (pot calling the kettle black, but……), he was failing so far. But she remained silent. She wondered if Sasuke had even noticed **her** presence. She guessed not. After all, she was unimportant to him.

It didn't really matter, since he's unimportant to her, too. He is not her Naruto-kun.

"Well, I happen to know that you visit your friends when they're in the hospital, so here I am." Naruto continued between bites. "I came to see you…well, not really **see** you, but……ah, you get my idea. Damn, this joke is getting old. Well, I think I'm done anyway."

He jumped off the bed, surprising both Sasuke and Hinata with his next words. "Let's go, Hina-chan."

Hinata knew better than to ask questions, so she quietly stood up and waited for Naruto to open the door. Naruto had just rested a hand on the door handle when Sasuke spoke.

"……is that it?"

Hinata shivered to the point that she embraced herself. A voice with such spite……she expected such a voice from the Hyuuga elders, not from a boy her age. No child her age should be able to even know how to make that tone.

"Is that it?" Sasuke repeated in that throaty, haunting voice not suitable for a sane person. "No 'I'm sorry for your loss'? No 'Everything's okay now'? No 'I understand what you must be going through?'"

Sasuke's tone had gradually increased as he spoke, but at the end it still remained lower than average. Hinata felt it was a dangerous voice.

Naruto……smirked? Yes, he smirked and hurriedly finished his Pocky stick.

"No, I'm not sorry for your loss, because, you know, it wasn't my fault." He said as he turned away from the door to face the youngest of the last Uchiha. Sasuke frowned and Hinata's mental alarm went up another level.

"Nothing is okay. AT ALL. Your brother has some questions to answer, the least of them being why the hell he knocked me out and left me unconscious in the middle of nowhere."

Sasuke's expression relaxed a bit, maybe in reaction to Naruto's statement of Itachi attacking him, too. Hinata didn't lower her cautious guard, while she made a mental note to beat the shit out of Uchiha Itachi if she ever got the chance. Naruto stood by the bedside once more.

"And, no, I have absolutely no idea what you must be going through right now, since I haven't had my entire clan brutally murdered by my crazy psycho brother……don't have a clan in the first place, you see. Don't have a crazy psycho brother either. So, nope, you're not getting that from me. Sure, I can fill your ears with that sort of bullshit if that's what you want, but I'd rather not. Silly Sasuke." Naruto's finishing touch was the classic flick of the forehead he knew the Uchiha disliked so much.

Hinata accepted that Naruto made some very valid points. She just wished he had used better (nicer) words to convey them. It was obvious Sasuke didn't find Naruto's words and actions humorous in the slightest. In fact, she'd say he looked quite furious. As in bloodshot-eyes-furious.

Indeed, Sasuke exploded.

"WHAT DO YOU-!!!?"

Or at least he tried to, until a gust of wind from out of nowhere buffeted his face and shut him up.

"Keep it down. I don't want the nurses coming here and assuming I'm here to finish baka Itachi's job or something."

As if he had seen Hinata's slightly unsettled look, Naruto justified himself. "Hey, I'm the kid everybody hates for no reason! I wouldn't be surprised if they come up with a crazy idea like that or something!"

Of course, Naruto couldn't know that Sasuke's room was fairly isolated from the rest (special treatment for the Uchiha, of course), so it was fairly safe to be loud……fairly. It would become an amazingly convenient detail in a few seconds.

Sasuke, never being one to be left ignored, restarted his rant. He did keep his voice relatively down.

"What do you know!? Do you like it, coming here to make fun of me like that!? You think you're going to make me feel better like **that**!? You said it, you know nothing! You have absolutely no idea about anything! I lost everything!!! I have nothing!!! **He** took everything away from me!!! I'm alone!!!"

Naruto and Hinata reached the exact same conclusion. _Ah…so he hasn't been told about his mother………_

"Ah, yep, yep, having nothing. Now **that**'s something I know plenty about. Maybe I-"

"**Shut**.**Up**." Sasuke snarled threateningly. "Don't you dare compare yourself to me, Naruto. You never had a family in the first place! You had NOTHING!!! You have **no** idea how it feels to lose anything!!! Again and again, in front of your eyes!!!"

And again, the two disciples of Hourai thought as one. _Ahh, so that was the Genjutsu, maybe?_

By this point the smirk on Naruto's face had long disappeared, but not for the reasons Hinata or Sasuke might expect.

"You know nothing. About me, about anything! So don't come here thinking you can say all the stupid things you want……get lost already!!!" Sasuke finished with an order than was more a whine than a bark. He was crying, but, for the first time in his life, he didn't give a damn about being seen. Still, he turned away from Naruto and back to the window. He just didn't want to see Naruto (or anyone else).

He couldn't see Naruto taking off his bandana. He did hear the blond emitting some sort of low-pitched grunt, which was soon eclipsed by Hinata's pained squeak and a very gross squelch followed by two popping sounds.

A second later, something hard and round bounced on his lap and rolled away until it rested on the soft and smooth surface of the bed in front of him.

"You never asked a thing about my blindness, Sasuke. And I was glad for it. I thought you were being considerate. Now I know you just didn't give a damn."

Sasuke slowly picked up the strange ball of hardened clay with the myriad of diminutive seals and the tomoe-shaped green and blue stones put together to make a yin-yang circle.

"I'm not just blind, stupid. Now give me back my eyeball."

Sasuke froze. There was absolutely no way he could not turn around after hearing **that**.

Indeed, looking back at him (or maybe not) there was Naruto, toying with an identical sphere in his right hand and a face that would haunt Sasuke for the rest of his days.

Two empty sockets; completely hollow; completely lifeless. Two pits of nothing. Sasuke had always imagined Naruto's blind eyes sort of like his very old grandma's (May she rest in peace), clouded by cataracts, or maybe even with whitened pupils like the Hyuugas. But he always figured out there were two human eyes under that bandana of his. Not those voids of no emotion and vacuous bleakness that scared him in a similar yet completely and painfully different way to his elder brother's _**Mangekyou Sharingan**_.

He really should have asked his brother about Naruto's condition.

Naruto turned his head a bit to his left. Hinata had to use everything she had not to gasp again at the sight of those hollow……things……staring (?) at her. For the first time ever, his comforting smile didn't help much. It just made him look creepier.

"Yes, Hina-chan, they come out. Something about 'regular maintenance' and stuff."

What he forgot to mention was that Shiki and only Shiki was supposed to remove them, perform the "maintenance" and put them back in. Nobody else.

_Man, they're so gonna yell at me when we get back home……_

Hinata felt relieved when Naruto refocused his entire attention on Sasuke, who actually flinched when the blond turned back to "face" him.

"I was born alone, damn it. I never had anything I could call mine. **My **toy, **my **picture book, **my **crib, **my **bedroom. Never had any of that. Even at the orphanage they weren't very nice to me, now I really know. Back then I didn't really figure out they had something against me. But at least I could look out the window and see there were cool, good things out there. I could see, so I could **dream**."

"Things didn't change much. People still hated me for no reason. But the old man took me out to walk around the village with him and showed me all these many different things. I met old man Teuchi and Ayame-neechan, and I found ramen! I wasn't locked in that boring……gray, yeah, that gray orphanage anymore! I was miserable, but I was **free**!"

Naruto's face contorted into an unsettling mask of anger and repressed frustration.

"And then some crazy bastard comes and carves my eyes out with a fucking kunai! And he leaves me to die!"

He slammed a foot on the low bed and leaned closer, as if daring Sasuke to look anywhere but at Naruto's face. Sasuke wouldn't have looked away even if someone showed up and said last night was just a very bad practical joke.

"So don't you **dare**……don't you **fucking DARE **say I don't know how it feels to lose everything, because that night, that god-damned night, I thought your bastard of a brother had taken from me everything I think a person can lose."

Sasuke blinked. Hinata gasped. They got the idea. "Y-You mean……"

"Yes, idiot. He manipulated the guy into doing this shit to me. He should just have done it himself: kill me and just put an end to my misery, but looking at you I guess that's just not his style."

Hinata blinked. Who would have thought she'd actually put someone else on top of "the entire Council of Elders" in her little black book of "People I Want to Kill"?

"Want me to let you in on a secret, bastard? Being blind **sucks**.** BADLY**. Try blindfolding yourself one of these days and see how long before you just rip the fold off your face. I give you three minutes."

"Seeing nothing but black……not fun. Not fun at all. Isn't it ridiculous that I have no idea how the person I hate the most right now looks like? I'll never forget Itachi-nii-san's face because I never saw it on the first place! Shiki-sensei has to wrack his brains out to figure out ways to teach me things without using books and blackboards like normal teachers. I cannot even look at his face and see if he knows how much it means to me that he actually makes the effort to teach me. I cannot see the face of the woman who hugs me and makes me feel like I have a mother! Damn it, Sasuke, I don't even know how **you **look like! I'm sure I probably saw you in some place or another before I got blind, but………fuck, I want to** know**!!!"

Naruto's voice was cracking at this point. If he could, he would have cried. Like Sasuke, he wouldn't have given a damn about been seen.

"I want to know how **you **look like! And Hina-chan!!! And Saya-neechan, and Shiki-sensei, and Hiashi!!! I want to see Hana-chan's face when she laughs!!! I want to know how my own room looks like!!! My house!!! Saya-neechan's flowers!!! Hina-chan's place!!! Heck, I want to know Itachi-nii-san's face, too!!!"

Naruto took several deep breaths, dropping and raising his eyelids every second of so. He needed to calm himself down.

"………but I can't. And it hurts. Don't talk like you're the only one who has suffered, you damn moron. Our lives suck, Sasuke………our lives suck………so **fucking** what?"

"Guess what, I'll let you in on another secret: life fucking **goes on**. I'm not dead. Neither are you. And a third secret: things can actually get better. Believe it. Four months later and I have a place to call home, two awesome teachers, cool jutsu, a cute and nice friend…"

Hinata went beet red, of course.

"……a cute and fun little friend and a duck-butt bastard who wants to get all emo. Oh, and these super-badass clothes. Which are NOT girly!"

Hinata almost giggled. She could tell that Naruto's initial anger had subsided. Now he was just lecturing someone who desperately needed a lecture.

"You're supposed to be a genius, so think, damn it! I can just see it: you, looking out the window like a stupid old geezer thinking that your life is over or something……something worse, something even MORE stupid, like going after Itachi-nii-san for revenge or something stupid like that."

Sasuke stiffened, and the other two noticed. Naruto had just read his mind. And……

"……Itachi-nii-san?"

"Yep, Itachi-nii-san. Oh, I am so going after him, don't think I'm not, and you're free to come if you want, but no revenge involved, no way. And we're not going any time soon: I don't want my ass kicked thank you very much. But I'm going after him, one day, I swear! I told you, he has a **lot** of questions to answer, and then I'll see if I forgive him."

Sasuke and Hinata gaped. Forgive? He could still **think** of forgiving Itachi?

"Oh, I'll make him apologize, even if I have to kick his ass. And he'll have to give me **one hell **of a good excuse for all this crazy shit he's pulled off……and a **LOT** of ramen. Yeah, ramen. No! Pocky **AND** ramen. Yep, that's good. Damn, I'm so smart."

Sasuke shuddered. He was having a flashback.

"Anyway, I'll deal with your brother. One day. When I become more awesome than him. Same goes to you. If you want to know why he killed all your folks, then train! Become strong, so that you can **make him answer**! You have time and, damn it, you have talent! You're the genius Uchiha with the neat swirly eyes! You're probably kicking ass at the Academy already! I can't go to the Academy yet because I** don't have eyes**!!! Seriously, it's so not funny it's funny."

"You know? Whatever. I said way more than I had to. Just……man, you're bad enough as it is, you don't want to get worse. Seriously. Now that I know what the whole 'emo' thing is all about, I've got to thank Saya-neechan for stopping me right on time. Really, you are so pathetic right now. I don't like pathetic people. Hina-chan knows."

Hinata caught the indirect. _"Don't you ever dare act like that too again, Hina-chan!"_

_I have no intention to, Naruto-kun._

After claiming back his mediums, storing them in a pocket and covering his hollowed-out eye sockets with the bandana, he retraced back his steps to the door for the second time. "The old Sasuke was cool. A ramen-hating prick, but a cool prick. If the old Sasuke ever wants to play……or train……he knows where I live."

With that said, he abruptly opened the door the left room, not even bothering to close it behind him (probably expecting Hinata to follow him). The other two looked at the empty doorframe in silence for a few seconds until Hinata figured out it was time for her to depart as well. However, she wouldn't leave without a few words.

"U-Uchiha-kun."

His expression as he turned to look at her seemed more tired than anything else. _Well, at least he's not scowling._

"Your………your mother is alive."

Sasuke's pupils contracted and his body felt surprisingly heavy on the bed. "Mom……?"

"She is alive, but she is badly hurt. So, if you cannot be strong for yourself, or for Naruto-kun, please be strong for her. She needs you. Family……family should support each other."

Hinata bit her lip. Her own family had so much to learn…….

"Sorry to bother you this afternoon. Please be well."

She, too, disappeared behind the door, but at least she bothered to close it, leaving Sasuke alone with a maelstrom of thoughts and feelings.

* * *

Uchiha Mikoto was a strong woman. She did make it to Jounin Rank before taking the life of a housewife, after all. Even if she had little reason to use it after her retirement, she also had a fully mastered_** Sharingan**_. She was one of the few Uchiha females who had achieved this, for some reason. This was probably one of the reasons Fugaku saw her as a potential partner. Yes, Uchiha Mikoto was a strong woman. 

This explains why she woke up from a wound as close to lethal as it could be without being lethal at all in barely more than 24 hours.

Of course, the first sensation that assaulted her as she returned to the land of the conscious was the unsettling numbness that made her mind foggy and her body feel like concrete. She then noticed the pulsating throb somewhere in her abdomen. She put two and two together and figured out she was under the effect of powerful pain-numbing drugs. She felt like a rock. Seriously.

Her ninja training kicked in, obliging her to identify her surroundings. The lightest inspection quickly allowed her to recognize the walls, ceiling and bed of the Konoha Hospital; a sight every Konoha shinobi and kunoichi eventually got accustomed to. It never got any more likeable, unfortunately.

She forced herself to remember; to figure out why she was in the hospital on the first place.

When the memories came back to her, the numbness disappeared almost in its entirety.

"Itachi……" She felt her eyes water. Her son. Her own son. She had felt him escape her motherly grasp, she had seen his relationship with the clan degenerate, but she never imagined………

She felt the weight of failure as a mother striking with a righteous fist of retribution.

"Why didn't you just……?" Like everyone else, she refused to believe Itachi didn't miss on purpose. What was she supposed to do after that, completely alone? Restore the clan? As if. Besides, by the nature of the blow, she wouldn't be surprised if Itachi had rendered her utterly unable to have more children.

In the cool twilight of that quiet February night, Uchiha Mikoto felt painfully alone.

A knock on the door. Mikoto sighed. She wondered if she could pretend being unconscious at least for that night.

However, it was not a nurse or a doctor or even a medic-nin whose head peeked from the other side of the door.

"……mom?"

Recognition washed her away like a glacial wave, leaving only a vast swamp of shame and regret. Her eyes brimmed with tears begging to be shed. Her body felt even heavier and the blank sheets felt like they were made of lead.

Sasuke was alive! Her son was alive! Itachi had spared her son!

Then it clicked.

"_I'm sorry, mother."_

Itachi wasn't apologizing for killing her and everyone else. The very opposite: he was apologizing for going against her wish. Since the beginning he had intended to spare the two of them, Sasuke and Mikoto, and just the two of them.

In an instant, she regretted every thought of wanting to join her husband in the nether embrace of death. How could she have been so selfish!? She, too, had forgotten about Sasuke!? She was truly a failure of a mother.

"Sa……" Kami, she needed some water. "Sasuke……?"

"Mom? Mom!"

It was indeed her Sasuke who covered appeared by her bedside, looking at her with the desperate eyes of a child needing support. Could she really give that to him, when she felt she needed support herself?

Why did that even matter? Sasuke was there. Alive. Crying inconsolably but smiling in a way that made his eyes so incredibly alive………so not like his brother's……

She was sure she had never felt so happy and relieved in her entire life.

"Sasuke……" She whimpered, urging her body to respond. Her left hand clumsily popped out of under the sheets and Sasuke's two hands clasped it for dear life.

"Mom! Mom, I thought……I thought he……"

"Yes……" Mikoto smiled as gently as she could between tears and squeezed his son's, his only family's, small trembling hands. "I thought so, too. But it's okay now………"

Sasuke cried some more, but nodded.

"It's okay, Sasuke……we're together now……we'll make it through this……"

Certainly, they were together. As long as that fact persisted, there would be hope for the two of them.

* * *

Like a breeze chanting joyfully through the seasons, eight months passed. That morning, Naruto woke up with an instantaneous awareness of what day it was. 

October 10th.

One year.

His eighth birthday.

Yes, it was the day he was born. The day he died, and then he was born again.

It also meant it was already a year since he had taken that room as his own. A year since that secluded wooden house in the middle of the forest became "home."

He had already been told there would no training that day, so he lingered on the bed for a while.

So many things had changed in a year. When he woke up the morning of that same day, a year ago, he never imagined his seventh birthday would have become such a turning point in his life.

Really, so many things in one year!

Suddenly, Naruto remembered it was also one year of permanent darkness. In the comfort of his large bed, Naruto grinned and began a sequence of twenty hand seals.

"Alright, let's add some color to this. _**Fuuton**_……_**Fuujin Senrigan no Jutsu**_!"

He winced from the sudden influx of "visual" information in his head, but when the initial set of flashes and wobbly clouds of color settled down, he had it. His finished _**Senrigan**_. It wasn't real sight, but it was as close he'd get without Lightning Manipulation. And it wasn't half bad anyway. Once he decided he had gathered enough thermal reading data, two months before, it took him four straight days to figure out how to apply it to his jutsu. Hinata helped him come up with the final idea. After all, it wasn't like there was somebody out there who could see heat and could tell him how it looks like, and Naruto cannot talk with snakes (he actually tried asking Anko; the answer was one hell of a beating).

He went with a color-based scale, from black to white, black meaning ridiculously cold and white, well, the opposite. Naruto was blind, but he still remembered the colors and could imagine plenty of shades, so he easily made a gradual scale from black to purple and then to blue, green, yellow, orange, red and finally white. He wanted a wide range of shades covering a wide range of possibilities. Over six months of "research" had shown him which convection currents imply which values of temperature, so what _**Senrigan **_did was "feeling" the convection current and then compare it with all the knowledge of air currents Naruto carries in his brain to assign a color to the object that generated the perceived current.

Naruto lifted his hand, amazed at the level of detail with which he could "see" it. It was just as he remembered from when he had normal sight, except that the normal skin color was replaced by a powerful orange "glow" (which he didn't mind, of course). The inside of the hand had a darker tone closer to red. He could even distinguish his nails. Of course, he knew the skin on the hand has all sorts of lines and marks, mostly on the palm and between each phalanx, but he couldn't ask for perfection. What he head was already beyond incredible.

"My jutsu……….heheh, I'm so awesome."

He still remembered his first forages in the world of thermal vision.

"_Hina-chan, you look so red! It's so funny!!!"_

He knew it was because of the exertion of her Taijutsu training, but damn it was so funny the first time you saw it!

Too bad Hinata didn't share his opinion and decided to let him know of this by showing him her new techniques firsthand.

Yes, Hinata had become a bit more…….willing to speak her mind in the last eight months. Saya said she "finally figured out you're just an idiot most of the time."

Hinata was studying Taijutsu and strictly Taijutsu, but she couldn't devote as much time to Saya as they'd all wish her to, so her improvement wasn't precisely by leaps and bounds in eight months. In her last report to Hiashi, Saya said Hinata's development was "within acceptable margins." Meaning that Hinata was no Himeko, but she was not the total failure of a human being everyone had been starting to dismiss her as before she met Naruto.

While her progress in the arts of hand-to-hand combat was slow and there was no way around that, Saya had discovered Hinata's true talents. The first was of course her skills with medicinal plants and their uses, which was an obvious consequence of the common interest in gardening and plants in general she shared with Naruto. For that reason, Hinata joined Naruto's Chemistry lessons when they involved Botanics and the preparation of healing substances of any nature. Unlike Hinata, who was more of a……rustic, homely medicine (or poison; with the good, always comes the bad) maker, Naruto was more of the deranged scientist type. Hinata enjoyed gathering the ingredients, mixing them and grinding them together. Naruto mixed all sorts of dangerous substances in Shiki's cloistered lab, "watched" the resulting explosion and wracked his brains figuring out where the hell he went wrong, and loved every second of it.

The second of Hinata's great talents was her chakra control. Once Saya submitted Hinata to the same exercises Naruto went through every morning, her control simply soared. Saya had long figured out it was simply a genetic thing about females developing greater chakra control than men, but it never ceased to amaze her. The young Tsunade had blown Saya away, decades ago. Hinata was no Tsunade, far from it, really, but her talent in this respect was enviable nonetheless. Saya suspected she was even better than Himeko in this aspect. Saya had used just the right words on Hiashi on their last meeting.

"Hiashi, boy, the moment that girl gets the hang of fire manipulation, she's gonna make us shit our pants. Believe me."

Naruto smiled on his bed. He, too, had learned a lot in the last eight months. Well, not really that much. However, Saya had been right about one thing. _**Yokazeryuu **_was **HIS** style. The moment they started working on the fighting techniques, Naruto began to enjoy his Taijutsu training like never before. Fighting wildly (_"But never recklessly, Naruto!"_), jumping, leaping and striking from every possible angle. Each spar was a pandemonium of motion with moves as sharp as they were unconventional. Bending his body in ways he would have thought impossible. Making complicated feats of acrobatics to dodge attacks while in midair, and then rushing to hide and wait for the next opening, to swoop down on Saya like the eagle that hunts the hare. All of this within the cloud of metallic death of Naruto's remotely controlled kunai. Fighting until those became a blur, faster, faster, until even Naruto himself had to be careful not to end up with one of his own flying weapons buried in his gut. The art of the duel and the art of the hunt, intertwined like newlyweds in a mating frenzy.

It was more beautiful than anything he had ever dreamed of.

It was what he was born to do.

He was currently learning how to add his wind chakra to his attacks. A simple burst of wind chakra that wouldn't rip or shred, but add to the blunt force of the physical attack and blow the opponent away:_** Furyuushou**_, the Wind Dragon Palm. The timing was important, and he had the hang of it, but Saya insisted that he would only truly master that technique and the following techniques when he could use _**Furyuushou**_ not with his chakra, but with the natural chakra of the air around him. That was his current Taijutsu dilemma.

Shiki's academic lessons went at their usual slow pace until Naruto had his finished _**Senrigan**_ ready. Soon after that, he realized that the image produced by _**Senrigan**_ was precisely that, an image imposed on the brain based by the information it gained from the wind. In a way, it was a bit like Genjutsu. But, really, if it was **his **image, he should be able to change it if he wanted to. That's how he started to add color to things. Leaves became green, water and the sky became blue. Clouds gained shades according to the weather. It wasn't **the **reality. It was **his **reality. There was no way for him to know if the shade of purple on Saya's cheongsam is the shade of purple in his mind's cheongsam. But that isn't the point. The point is that **ink became black**, and** chalk became white**.

Naruto could read.

Sorta.

If the characters were big enough……which left most printed books out of his grasp. Some scrolls, on the other side, are written with large, inky kanji Naruto could see clearly if he focused hard enough. Shiki had many of those scrolls.

For the last two months, Naruto has intensively worked on his reading and writing skills, almost to the exclusion of everything else.

Leaving the bedroom in his pajamas to allow his new day to truly begin, he was met by his two caretakers on the dining table. Breakfast was served but untouched on the table. Shiki had his back to him, but Saya was obviously following his approach with her eyes.

"Good morning, sleepyhead."

"Heeh, good morning, Saya-neechan. Sensei." Naruto had the decency to look a bit ashamed. "Were you two waiting for me? Sorry."

"Not really." Saya admitted. "But, we were wondering if you wanted to help us fill this little thing." She added, showing the piece of paper she held in her left hand and the pen in her right.

"What's that? Crossword puzzle? Not sure I could help with that……"

"Umm……no." Saya corrected. "Your application to join the Academy next year."

After the moment of stunned silence……the shit-eating grin.

"……no way……no way…….NO WAY!!!! OH…REALLY!?"

"Yeah really." Saya rolled her eyes. "I say you're ready, my silent husband here says you're ready, Sarutobi hopes you are ready, and the rest of the world can go to hell. So, sure, let's get you in the Academy, hopefully in a class with more brats your age."

"AWESOME!!!" Naruto abandoned all decorum and jumped to Saya's arms, which were more than ready to welcome him. Shiki put down his latest scroll ("Oscillatory Effects of Elemental Chakra on Materials") and took both pen and paper from Saya's busy hands.

"Sorry, dear, but I have better handwriting."

"Oh really?" Saya questioned while she gently pushed Naruto away and to his seat.

"Yeah really." He looked down at the paper Saya had picked at the Hokage's Office the previous day. "Name? Uzumaki-"

"What about Houraisan?"

Shiki stopped writing and calmly deposited the pen on the table before looking at Naruto studiously. Saya was looking at Naruto as if he had just said he had three days left to live.

"Wha……what did you just say?"

Naruto shrugged. "Sure, I mean, why Uzumaki?"

"Umm…because it's your name?" Shiki stated as if it were the most obvious thing.

"But, really, you guys adopted me a year ago. I guess it's time I actually get used to use the family name, huh?"

It's a shame Naruto couldn't see the looks on the two's faces. Even Shiki looked like a fish out of water. Saya was shaking, to the point that she had to grab Naruto's hand with the two of hers to settle down.

"Since my wife seems incapable of speech, I'll say it."

"Eh?"

The mauve-eyed seal master explained. "We never adopted you, Naruto. We took care of your recovery and we are taking care of your training and education but, legally, you have no relatives or guardians."

"Oh……oh well." Naruto shrugged and looked down at his lap. He didn't really know what to think about that.

Shiki went back to the application sheet, determining the topic as done and over with, mumbling a low "Uzumaki……Naruto……" as he scribbled. He didn't know how it was written, and Naruto didn't know that many kanji, so he guessed he'd have to come up with the most appropriate combination.

On the other side, his wife silently decided the topic was far from done and over with. Naruto's overall expression and posture and the burning feeling in her chest told her so.

"Naruto……"

"Hmm?"

"……do you……do you want us to adopt you?"

Shiki shot a glance at his wife. She returned it with a glare. _See? He won't even notice our disagreements! It's perfect!_

Naruto actually blushed a bit.

"We-well……uh…uh…well, we've been living together for a while and……umm……damn it, you two are the closest thing to parents I've had, so I don't know better! I mean, you guys are weird at times…"

"Hey!"

"……but you're really, really cool and you teach me things and you take care of me………so……I guess I wouldn't mind……"

Saya couldn't stop herself. She grabbed Naruto and pulled him back to her embrace, all the while shooting The Look at her husband. As for Naruto……he's never minded being hugged. He's used to it, actually. Between Saya and the women at the Hyuuga hot springs, it's hugging ahoy.

_Can we keep him? Shiki? Pweety, pweety, pweeeeety please?_

Shiki avoided The Look by looking at the piece of paper and tapping the table with the pen. Ironically enough, the only line he had finished was "Name: Uzumaki Naruto."

_I should have known we would end up like this……sheesh……_

"Saya, do you realize the political consequences this could bring?"

"Of course not."

"Figures."

"Does it break the terms of The Contract?"

"Not really."

"Then I don't care about anything else."

"Saya……"

Knowing there was no argument with his wife, Shiki spend the next two minutes with his eyes closed, studying the many potential scenarios that could unfold if Naruto officially became a Houraisan. By the time he was done, he felt awfully old. He sighed.

"……it's really ending, isn't it?" He smiled gently at the sight of the other two frowning at his sudden comment. "Ah, don't mind me. Brat!"

The sudden call for attention had Naruto standing upright like a soldier.

"If we do adopt you, then you would become the heir of the name Houraisan. We might be a small clan, but we sure are a proud one."

"Hell yeah." Saya added with a playful tone.

"You will have to learn how to manage the clan matters for the day when you take the mantle of leader."

"What clan matters? When we're not training him or doing jobs, we do whatever the hell we want."

"Shut up, Saya." Shiki shot an irritated look at his wife before turning back to Naruto. "You will have to protect the secrets of the clan just like those before you have done to this day."

"What's that supposed to mean? Those before him? You and I have been Clan Houraisan since, like, ever!"

"For Kami's sake, shut up, woman! Naruto. Clan Houraisan has many secrets, more than probably any other clan."

"Because we've been around longer than any other clan. Damn, we're so fucking old."

"Saya! Naruto, finally, as the heir, you will have to study and understand the secret clan techniques and methods. Do you think you can handle that responsibility?"

"Do you actually believe he's gonna say no? You had him on '**secret clan techniques**,' Shiki."

"Dear, I cannot imagine my life without you, but for once in your long life can't you keep your mouth shut!?"

Naruto, whose head had been jerking from Shiki to Saya like an spectator in a tennis match, realized some sort of answer was expected from him, even if what Saya said made no sense, there was no way he was saying no.

"Umm……sure, why not?"

Shiki slapped his hand on his forehead. "And there goes my formality……"

"Don't know why you even bother. We aren't precisely a standard clan as it is." Saya was all smiles by this point. "Welcome to the family, boy."

Naruto grinned. Family. That didn't sound so bad. "Does that mean I have to call you Saya-kaa-chan now?"

Saya couldn't stop herself. Naruto's words hit her in a way no jutsu, no fist and no kick had hit her in her long, long life. The only event that beat Naruto's words was the first time Shiki said to her "I love you."

She cried.

She cried like she hadn't cried in so long. She cried until she fell on her knees and Naruto hurried to hold her, wondering if he had said the wrong thing. However, it was hard to tell with the cute giggles mixed between the sobs.

"You can call me however you want, boy……"

Naruto turned to the other person in the room. "Shiki-sensei……"

"Yes, you can call her that, too."

Saya's body actually jerked a bit. "Did you just make a joke, dear?"

"Saa, who knows? Now, get up. We have lots of work to do today, then……starting with getting another of these forms; this one's useless now."

"Sensei!"

"What is it, Naruto?"

"If I'm a citizen of Konoha……does that mean that Houraisan is now an official clan of Konoha?"

"Yes, it does." Shiki wanted to see where Naruto wanted to get at.

"Does it mean I……in the council……?"

Shiki blinked exactly twice, before responding with a smile that was almost evil. "It's good to see you pay attention at my Politics lessons, Naruto."

"Heheheh……"

"Hey, I figured out something too!" Saya exclaimed rather excitedly while she wiped away her tears of joy.

"What?" Shiki was honestly intrigued.

"We're no longer the smallest clan ever! I mean, the Uchihas only have two people!"

Long, uncomfortable silence.

"……Saya-nee…kaa-chan, that was mean."

"What he said."

"……sorry."

* * *

Noon that day, the Hyuuga mansion. Outside, everyone was getting ready for that year's Golden Festival. There would be no fireworks that year in remembrance of the Uchiha Clan, which always took care of that part of the festivities. While other clans prepared emergency meetings to figure out what to make of the latest Council Meeting summoned by the Third Hokage, Hiashi and Naruto discussed the results of that meeting over sake in the dojo where, daily, Hinata was taught the not-so-gentle Gentle Fist. 

Well, Hiashi enjoyed the sake. Naruto was having a blast with tea. Not precisely a blast, maybe: his legs were killing him (he'd never get used to sitting like that). Outside, the Houraisan couple was getting acquainted with Hinata and Hanabi.

"Man, we totally shocked them, didn't we!? I wished I could have seen their faces." Naruto was grinning for the two of them. Hiashi only nodded.

"I will admit, I was quite surprised by the announcement, Naruto……or is it Houraisan-san now?"

Naruto waved a hand dismissingly. "Don't be so stiff, H."

Hiashi ignored the way Naruto addressed him. He guessed the sake was getting to him, for him to be so……lenient.

"In any case, Naruto, did you really figure out all that by yourself?"

"Hey, I do pay attention to Shiki-sensei's lessons! I mean, it's obvious, isn't it? Houraisan, by becoming a Konoha Clan, gains a seat in the Council. But neither Shiki-sensei nor Saya-neechan are registered Konoha citizens, so the seat has to belong to me, right?"

"But, because of your age, you designated Shiki-san as your proxy in the Council until you are old enough to claim the seat."

"Right-o."

"……interesting. At this point most of the clans will figure out they just don't care anymore. In fact, the minor clans might actually support you just to get in our good side." Hiashi concluded. "On the other side, the fact that you now are Houraisan means little to the civilians. Most of them do not even know who your new parents are. Of course, the title of Clan Heir will make them keep their distance, even if it's an obscure clan they had no idea existed until today. At most, they will ignore you."

Naruto grinned. "Well, it's an improvement."

Hiashi, though, had more things in his mind. _I do not think it will be that simple, though. Only time will tell._

"But……" The Hyuuga leader proceeded. "I take it this isn't why you wanted to talk to me in private, child?"

"Nope."

Naruto's expression softened as he lowered his hands and let them rest on his lap. Hiashi didn't fail to notice that the small cup tea remained unmoving, floating in midair at about the height of Naruto's chin.

"Hey, I owe you. Did you forget what we talked about when we met? 'Cause I haven't. And now that I have to think about 'the clan's reputation' and stuff like that, I think I've got to pay that debt right now. So here I am."

"……you have put some thought into this."

"I told ya: I pay attention at class. I know how this works……I think. Hina-chan probably understands these noble things more than I."

"Hmm……" Hiashi inhaled the intoxicating aroma of his warm cup of sake. _But you still have much to learn, child……_

"Very well, then. In fact, I had put some thought into this, too, Naruto. I do have a task for you. Will you do it?"

"A promise is a promise, H."

Hiashi nodded. The kid had a sense of honor, but that wouldn't stop him from being ruthless and sneaky when he needed to, as his canny pranks were proving to the Konoha populace. For almost a year, it seemed that the Hidden Village under the Leaves would not suffer the plots conceived in one Uzumaki Naruto's wicked mind, but he seemed to have returned with a vengeance……and an excuse.

The excuse? Saya's Stealth lessons.

Yes, Saya was a firm believer of a more……"hands-on" teaching experience. And it was a well known fact Naruto learned more while doing something he enjoyed. The conclusion is obvious.

A knock on the sliding wooden door called for their attention.

"Who is it?"

"It is Hinata, Father. I believe you have called for us."

"Bah, just open the stupid door!"

"Saya, when did you forget manners?"

Hiashi shot a look at his guest. Naruto only sweatdropped.

"I wonder who has better manners, the mother or the son." Hiashi mused in a low tone to keep it from being heard by those outside. He raised his tone for the next question.

"Is Hanabi with you?"

"I am, Father." Hanabi's voice, even she was being courteous and respectful, remained livelier and "brighter" than Hinata's.

"Then please do come in."

Hinata was the first to enter, after a respectful bow towards both her father and his guest. She elegantly sat on the floor behind and to Naruto's right, apparently impervious to the uncomfortable position of the legs, facing her father with a straight look. Next to her sat the Houraisan couple, who had walked inside the room locked in a staring contest. Hanabi's eyes brightened when she saw Naruto, but she had already been taught enough about clan manners to know how she was supposed to behave. Therefore, she repeated her elder sister's actions, even if it was obvious to everyone else in the room that she only wished to drag Naruto away to play with him in the gardens.

"I know you are already acquainted with my youngest daughter Hanabi, Naruto." Hiashi said before she could sit, claiming everyone and especially Naruto's attention.

"Umm, yeah, but……what does she have to do with……?"

"I want you to teach her Taijutsu."

"……eh?"

Hanabi blinked. Hinata shifted her look between Naruto and her little sister.

"Tricky bastard………"

Hiashi's normal expression didn't change even while facing Saya's snarl.

"So that's your big idea……I won't teach Hanabi, so you'll make Naruto teach her **my **style?"

"Precisely."

Shiki pulled the back of Saya's cheongsam. "Saya, settle down."

"But!"

"But what? So Naruto will teach her _**Yokazeryuu**_. Saya, you have only **one **secret style, and it's not Night Breeze Dragon. Taijutsu Specialists all over the Elemental Countries know_** Yokazeryuu**_. You know they love it over at Kumo; they've even added Lightning-based variations. For Kami's sake, the guy who tried to kidnap Hinata used _**Yokazeryuu**_. So what if Hiashi's little girl also learns it?"

Hinata froze for a few seconds. She couldn't stand the idea of there being any association between her dearest Naruto-kun and the worst episode of her short life. However, she calmed herself down by repeating in her mind that it was just a style. Naruto-kun wasn't evil like the shinobi of Kumo. Naruto-kun was the best thing that ever happened to her.

Her mind instantly reprogrammed itself, deciding that it was the shinobi of Kumo who were tainting Naruto-kun's beautifully acrobatic and stealthy Taijutsu style with their foulness by daring to use it themselves.

It would be another element of the infamous legend of Hyuuga Hinata. She would mercilessly slay any Kumo-nin who showed any hint of knowing_** Yokazeryuu**_. She called it "The Purging."

"But I don't like his underhanded method! He's using my boy!"

"Hey, I'm not being used by anyone!" Naruto immediately complained. "I owe a favor to Mister H, you know!?"

Hiashi rolled his eyes. Maybe he should have asked Naruto to forget that stupid name.

"He asks me to teach Hana-chan……" Naruto turned to look at the youngest Hyuuga, who looked like she had just won the lottery. She just didn't have her sister's patience for _**Hakkeshou**_. "……so I'll teach Hana-chan……but, do you really want me to teach her, Hiashi?"

Hiashi noticed the way Naruto changed the way he addressed him. Having removed the "-sama," meant Naruto wanted to switch back to a more informal setting, without going as far as to call him "Mr. H."

"Yes, Naruto."

"……let me repeat myself. You want **me **to teach **your daughter**?"

"……yes."

"Me?"

"Yes."

"……Hana-chan?"

"……yes."

"……………………why?"

Hiashi slurped down a good chunk of tea before lowering the cup. "Two reasons, actually. First, as it should be obvious to everyone here that Hanabi is quite fond of you. I am certain she will pay more attention to you as a teacher than to any Hyuuga instructor I assign to her."

_Well, he's certainly right about that._ Shiki and Saya thought together when faced by the sight of the look of borderline adoration on the youngest Hyuuga's eyes.

"Second, after testing the nature of her chakra, I was surprised to see she possesses a Wind affinity, extremely unusual among us Hyuuga."

"Ha-Hanabi-chan can channel chakra already!?" Hinata exclaimed. If that was true, it would be another thing to feed her inferiority complex with.

"I take it you mean the paper method to determine elemental affinity." Hiashi commented in his usual cold and firm tone. "Hanabi is still too young to be able to shape and channel chakra properly. There are, however, other methods to determine one's chakra nature; methods that do not even require the person to be able to use chakra."

The expression on Hinata's and Naruto's face showed that they didn't fully understand. Hanabi was utterly lost, of course, but she guessed this was an "adult" conversation, so she was a good girl and remained quiet and still. As Naruto's teacher, Shiki took the reins of the explanation.

"Every single living being possesses a chakra circulatory system, and there's always a minimal amount of chakra flowing through this system, even when you are not actively tapping into your chakra. This is called **free-state chakra flux**. There are methods which tap into this free-state flux and use it to evaluate the elemental affinity of a person."

Hinata nodded. She did remember the free-state chakra flux being mentioned in a lecture at the Academy. Naruto's curiosity was not yet sated, though.

"You know how to do that, sensei?"

"I do know the theories behind these methods, but, in practice, I can only do one of them. But I think Hiashi was explaining to use why he wants you to instruct his little daughter?"

Naruto nodded. His sensei was right: it wasn't the time to discuss those things. Turning his head to face Hiashi once more prompted the Hyuuga leader to resume his explanation.

"I am a realist, Naruto. I know times are changing, and we Hyuuga cannot expect to remain unchanged forever. One day, sooner or later, any of my daughters might face an opponent _**Jyuuken**_ in its current form cannot defeat. Your two teachers, Shiki-sama and Saya-sama, are perfect examples of such kind of opponent. When that day comes, I want my daughters to be ready. I want them to know and understand other methods of combat. Most importantly, I want them to grow the way they wish to grow, not the way the clan expects them to."

"You just don't want either of them going Itachi on you."

"Shut up, Saya." Surprisingly enough, this was Hiashi.

"What he said." This was Shiki.

"Oh, I can't believe this!" Saya made an overly gesture, before her expression turned serious once again. "But that is a very admirable view, Hiashi-kun. We won't stop you, and we won't stop Naruto either. If he wants to teach your little girl, he can do it."

Shiki nodded. "As long as he fulfills his duties as the heir of Houraisan…" He ignored Saya's whispered "What duties?" "……he can do as he wishes."

Everyone turned to Naruto. "Well……I said it; I'd do it even if I didn't want to. A promise is a promise. Besides, it sounds kinda fun, ne, Hana-chan?"

"Yup!" Hanabi giggled in glee.

"Yep, it's gonna be awesome. But can we wait a little bit, until I actually become a little bit better at _**Yokazeryuu**_? I mean, it's not like I have much to teach Hana-chan right now."

Hiashi nodded. "That is understandable. In the meantime, I expect Hanabi to improve her _**Hakkeshou**_."

"Yes, sir." Hanabi was still grinning as she bowed respectfully to her sire.

And this is how Houraisan Uzumaki Naruto gained his first and most favored apprentice.

That day, the whole world shuddered in absolute terror.

* * *

"_Naruto, please come to my studio immediately."_

Naruto had been scared out his wits when Shiki's voice suddenly filled his head and gave him a message.

It was the beginning of spring. Since the day of his eight birthday, when it was decided Naruto would join the Academy on the beginning of the next academic year, his training had taken new levels of exigency. After all, Saya and Shiki wouldn't have much time to teach him once the Academy and Hanabi's education (he still couldn't believe he already had an apprentice) claimed Naruto's time. In the morning, the real Naruto and the real Saya practiced _**Yokazeryuu**_, stealth (as in, pranking) and tracking while Saya's shadow clones took Naruto's shadow clones for reading, writing, botany, first aid and, well, piano lessons. In the afternoons, Shiki removed the free hour Naruto had and filled it with more lessons. Naruto had absolutely no free time. But it's not like he had many things to do with his free time, should he have any.

Had it been any other person, Naruto might have burst loudly into the room, announcing his presence with a boisterous voice. However, this was his sensei, and his sensei appreciated silence, especially in his office. So he just knocked on the door.

"Come in."

Shiki's office was the quintessential lair of a savant. The two walls on the sides where invisible to the eye, covered as they were with tall shelves completely stacked with books and scrolls. Naruto looked rather fondly at the 5'x4' blackboard supported by two metal legs with small metal wheels for mobility. While Shiki had mostly used the enormous blackboard he had in his library, the smaller, mobile blackboard had also been the center of many lessons ever since Naruto's _**Senrigan **_developed enough for him to read large characters. It looked like Shiki had hastily erased the former contents of the board and scribbled a single line in small letters Naruto couldn't read.

"Sit down, Naruto." Shiki commanded, never looking away from the scroll he was reading. Shiki's desk (one of them; he had a larger one in the library) was approximately 55''x 26''x 30'', a fine two-pedestal desk elegantly made with flame mahogany. The horizontal writing surface was covered by a beautiful dark leather inset. Overall, it screamed "elegance" and "antiquity."

Naruto waited quietly. Shiki was (and would always be) the only person in the whole world that made Naruto be quiet and attentive without making any conscious effort. The reason behind this would never be clear. It was just the way it was.

Shiki finished reading whatever he was reading, only to pull out a loose piece of paper from one of the desk's nine drawers, scribble a few notes and push both scroll and notes aside, clearing the space between him and Naruto.

"So, Naruto. Tomorrow you enter the Academy."

Naruto grinned. Yes, he was. Spring had come. The cherry blossoms were in full bloom, and the children of Konoha, civilians and shinobi-aspirants alike, readied themselves for the beginning of a new academic year. And, finally, at long last, Naruto would join them.

"Sarutobi personally signed the authorization. After all, it's not every day they admit a blind child into shinobi training. I hope you appreciate his efforts."

Naruto nodded. "Yeah, the old gramps rocks."

Shiki chuckled. Naruto had ceased to be an ignorant little brat a long time ago, but some things just didn't change.

"You will be joining the third year class. I believe that means you will be in the same class as Hinata."

Naruto nodded. He had already talked about that with Hinata. Even if people still looked at him ugly, he was the heir of a Konoha Clan, which meant he belonged to the list of people Hinata was allowed to talk to, especially since Houraisan and Hyuuga were allies. Of course, he would have to address her with a measure of respect (which meant no "Hina-chan"), but it was better than nothing. From what he could tell, Hinata had some other ideas, but she just wouldn't share them with him, no matter how much he insisted.

And, besides Hinata, there was also……

_Sasuke………_

Naruto smirked almost evilly. He would have a blast with the Uchiha, whether the Uchiha liked it or not.

Shiki decided to ignore the familiar mischievous look on Naruto's face (which reminded him of too many troublesome people, including Naruto's biological parents and his adoptive mother) and proceeded with the matters at hand.

"Since you will be joining the third year class, you won't participate in the entrance ceremony. However, Saya will accompany you and deliver you to your new sensei. Now, I called you here for something else. As you know, your lessons under my guidance finished yesterday."

Naruto's expression hardened. It was hard to believe that he wouldn't be receiving Shiki-sensei's lessons anymore.

"As it is right now, your theoretical foundations are better than any Academy graduate. You know all the mathematics shinobi might need and more; and I taught you about branches of physics the Academy won't even touch. However, you will get enough practice on both areas over there. You'll also get plenty of chances to review the geography and history lessons I taught you. As for the other subjects I taught you which aren't covered in the Academy's lectures, I hope you do review our lectures from time to time. It wouldn't do for you to forget everything I taught you about chemistry, military sciences, politics and economy."

Naruto nodded eagerly. Like hell he was going to forget Chemistry. Those lab practices were too awesome for words. And he was only on the eighth scroll of the "Chemistry of Explosives" series!

Of course, Naruto was blissfully unaware of the fact that no eight-year-old should be reading about "Nitro Derivatives of Toluene."

"All the resources of my library are also available to you, even if you cannot read most of its contents; I hope you can make the most of what you can read. If it's possible, I'll see to rewriting some texts with larger characters for your convenience."

Naruto was sure his eyes would have watered if he had them. Shiki-sensei was the most thorough teacher ever. "Thank you!"

Shiki's eyes narrowed almost mischievously. "I will evaluate you regularly to make sure you haven't slacked off, Naruto, so keep studying hard."

Naruto unknowingly returned the gesture. "Sure thing! You know I'll beat whatever you throw at me!"

Shiki nodded. Naruto might not be the brightest child he knew, or the most receptive, but he made up for that with sheer enthusiasm and thirst for learning.

"Saya will probably refuse to let go of your training, so she'll probably cram time for Taijutsu in one way or another. It all depends on your schedule for Hanabi's training, I guess."

Every single word that surged out of Shiki's mouth pushed the weight of his new responsibility as a teacher (_Sweet Kami, I'm going to train Hana-chan!!!_) on his small shoulders.

"My point is, Naruto, that now that your shinobi training is being taken over by the Academy, I can focus on teaching you what I truly **want** to teach you."

Naruto's body tensed a bit. His heartbeat increased a notch and the hint of a smile appeared on the corners of his lips. He had the strong presentiment that he was going to like this.

"The Hyuuga have their _**Jyuuken**_. The Uchiha had a strong preference for Katon jutsu. The Nara manipulate shadows. The Yamanaka manipulate minds. The Akimichi manipulate the size and physiology of their bodies. The Inuzuka share some bestial traits of the dogs they raise and train. The Yakumo weave complex illusions. The Aburame use the insects they breed as tools of combat. As the heir of Houraisan, you, too, must learn and master the Houraisan Family Techniques."

As expected, Shiki-sensei didn't disappoint.

"ALRIGHT!!!** Badass **family techniques!?"

Shiki smiled gently. "Well, of course, Naruto."

A few seconds later, Shiki was writing big characters on the wheeled blackboard. Naruto focused his _**Senrigan **_on that area. In his world of aberrant shades, everything went dark save for a cone of highly-defined vision in front of him. Only Shiki's and the blackboard's thermal signatures registered in Naruto's mind.

"The Houraisan Techniques are divided in three branches: Saya's special techniques, my personal techniques and the **true **family techniques. By these I mean the jutsu Saya and I have developed together."

Shiki had written three separate sentences: _**Houraisan no Fukyuu no Ryuu**_,_** Houraisan Mugen Kekkai **_and _**Houraisan no Taifuuin no Shiki**_.

"Saya won't teach you her special moves. Never. Period. As simple as that. Saya's specialty is Taijutsu, and you are a Ninjutsu-type. If anyone has a chance of learning _**Fukyuu no Ryuu**_, as minimal as it may be, it's Hinata."

"So this Immortal Dragon thing is a Taijutsu style? Is it better than_** Yokazeryuu**_?"

Shiki shrugged. "It's……hard to explain. It's something that you really have to see to understand. Hopefully one day you'll be fortunate enough to see _**Fukyuu no Ryuu **_in action. It's……impressive, to say the least. Anyway, back on topic."

"_**Houraisan Mugen Kekkai **_are an advanced application of Fuuinjutsu and Barrier Theory. Actually, _**Mugen Kekkai**_ is just a step. By combining it with other sealing methods I created more advanced sealing and barrier techniques."

Shiki handed Naruto a scroll. It was a pretty big one, in both width and extension. It had a good three inches in diameter when rolled and tied with a neat golden rope (not that Naruto could see that, though).

"That's your first assignment for Fuuinjutsu class. I expect you to have read and studied the entirety of that scroll by next Saturday afternoon. That's all. If you don't have questions you may leave."

Naruto held the scroll with almost reverential fervor. It was yet another stage of his road to badassery. He had absolutely no idea of what Fuuinjutsu was about, but he didn't doubt it would be useful. Shiki would never teach him something useless. Besides, didn't Shiki-sensei always say that all knowledge is useful in one way or another?

"Two questions, actually."

"I'm listening."

"What about the other one? _**Taifuuin no Shiki**_?"

Shiki began erasing the written content of the blackboard. "Naruto, it will take you years to reach the level of understanding of seals necessary to learn _**Mugen Kekkai**_. _**Taifuuin no Shiki **_is immensely more advanced than that and it requires knowledge of things other than seals. Don't worry about studying_** Taifuuin no Shiki**_ for now. The second question……"

"Yeah. How did you do that 'voice in my head' thingy? It was reaaaally freaky!"

Shiki grinned and took a few seconds picking a scroll from the top drawer of his desk, which he handed to Naruto.

"Took you long enough to ask. _**Fuuton: Sasayaku Kaze no Jutsu**_. One of the most useful techniques I know. I'm sure you'll be able to do wonders with it."

Naruto grinned. A new thing to study AND a new wind jutsu? It was like his birthday all over again!

"Thank you, sensei! I'm off to study, then!"

"Naruto." Shiki stopped him before he could even reach the doorknob.

"I……I love Fuuinjutsu. Sharing this with you………it means a lot to me. I truly hope you will come to love the art of sealing as much as I do."

Naruto couldn't see his face, but he could interpret the variations in his voice. He could feel the honesty, the passion and the hope in those words. And he could tell that this was really important to his sensei. Naruto had always seen Shiki as a serious person, but, in that moment, Shiki was showing him a different form of serious.

Curiously enough, this was one of the very few occasions in which Naruto truly saw Shiki as a father instead of just a very good teacher.

* * *

Umino Iruka was not a particularly spectacular ninja, but he had a reputation as a good teacher. He also had decent luck with the opposite gender; many were attractive by his gentle face, his well-tanned skin and his image of a well-mannered, caring and dedicated person. Even the notorious horizontal scar that crossed his face right under his eyes worked as a curiously-effective chick magnet, as it led to female curiosity about the origin of that scar and the fierce shinobi hidden under the gentle face. 

He had even had to deal with young Academy girls who had ended up infatuated with him. Among the student body he was well known as a competent teacher, harsh but generally nice to everyone. Most students liked him, even if they wished his lecture were a little bit more interesting.

That's why he always liked it when, as he entered the classroom every morning, the students promptly went silent and patiently waited for him to take attendance. Their respect symbolized the fact that he had found his place in Konohagakure no Sato. He is a good and perfectly capable shinobi (which is why he still wears his Chuunin uniform and carries concealed weapons to classes every day, even when he doesn't have to). He just enjoys teaching too much.

This is the reason he was startled when a knock on the door interrupted him before he could even call out the first name. The way his students also looked at the door told him he wasn't imagining things. After placing the student list back on the desk, he calmly went to open the door.

A group of twenty-six students witnessed how, in a second, Iruka's relaxed smile contorted into a mask of restrained fury.

"What are **you **doing here?"

* * *

Hinata's seat was on the back of the room, leaning against the wall, so she had no chance of seeing the person behind the door without using_** Byakugan**_. However, she had no need to, because the person made her identity known by answering the question. 

"Isn't it obvious, Iruka-kun? I'm bringing my child to his first day of school."

Aburame Shino's right eyebrow raised a millimeter. Had Hinata just whispered "sensei"? Sorting this information in a corner of his mind, he focused his attention back on the scene at the door.

Haruno Sakura (who had won the race to the seat next to Sasuke) and Yamanaka Ino didn't fail to notice that even their wonderful Sasuke-kun had interrupted his daily ritual of spending the early minutes of class staring out of the window to watch the events unfolding at the door. For a second they considered the possibility of Sasuke being attracted to that kind of women. That thought was quickly clouded by the little catch in the woman's sentence.

Child?

The woman couldn't be any older than fifteen, and the boy behind her was obviously within their age gap. It was physically impossible for him to be her son.

The boy was curiously looking around, which made little sense considering his eyes were covered with an orange bandana. All of the students recognized the boy for some reason or other. To one Hyuuga Hinata, the boy was the pillar of her existence. Ino easily recognized the boy who had timidly given her a basket full of beautiful flowers a year and a half ago. She had seen him after that, too, when the boy, the girl and the girl's husband had shown up in front of her parents to formally present the boy, Naruto, as the "Heir of Clan Houraisan."

Ino still couldn't understand why her mother (and almost every adult she knew) openly disliked Naruto so much. Even Iruka-sensei didn't seem very happy to see him. She guessed his love of pranks had something to do. Even she laughed when Naruto filled a restaurant with hungry rampaging **goats** (where the goats came from, Ino had no idea). It was an open secret that Naruto did it, even if his guilt was never proved. What few people knew was that the restaurant owner had denied admission to Naruto and his family three days before the prank. What only Hokage and the ANBU knew was that the only reason Naruto was never interrogated about this incident (and pretty much any incident he is a suspect of) was because he somehow managed to evade any number of ninja policemen and ANBU sent after him.

Ino, on her part, had absolutely no reason to dislike the boy. He had yet to pull a prank on her flower shop, after all.

On the other side, there were those who recognized the blond as the one their parents had actually encouraged to bully. They had been wondering where he had gone: none of them knew where he lived, and they hadn't seen him roaming aimlessly around the parks like he used to do until two years ago or so. Of course, there were those who bullied young Naruto out of personal choice, not because their parents encouraged them to. There were also those who recognized him because they were victims of one of his pranks (including those whose authorship remains unstated), like Inuzuka Kiba, who grimly remembered the time Naruto (because it just **had **to be Naruto) released dozens of stray cats in Inuzuka grounds, sending their "trained" dogs into a frenzy. It had taken them four full days to find them all.

Like Ino, others like Nara Shikamaru, Akimichi Chouji and Aburame Shino remembered Naruto from the day he was formally introduced to their respective clans as the Heir of Houraisan. The former two also remembered a fairly short encounter on a certain rooftop.

And, of course, there was Sasuke.

Naruto's "gaze" lingered on the back of the room for a second, just long enough for Hinata and only Hinata to realize Naruto had noticed her. The simple smile that adorned his face after he resumed his exploration of the rest of the room was enough to make her feel butterflies in her stomach.

Saya, too, took a long look at Naruto's new classmates before settling on looking at Iruka. Her eyes, too, lingered an instant longer on Hinata than on anyone else. While this escaped everyone, what didn't escape Shino was the unusual flicker in the otherwise blank pupil-less eyes of normally-shy and quiet Hyuuga Hinata to his right.

Saya also suppressed a shudder at the sight of a certain mane of long pink hair.

"Here are the admission papers. I'm sure everything's in order."

Of course everything was in order. Naruto's admission was authorized by the Hokage himself.

"Hnn." This was Iruka's only response after shooting a glance at the official stamp on the paper that authorized the admission of one "Houraisan Uzumaki Naruto."

Despite Naruto's lack of interest, Shiki and Saya had insisted he kept the Uzumaki name. Only after the secrets of his true family were unveiled would he understand why.

Saya bent her legs to lower herself to Naruto's level. "Alright, Naruto, you know what to do."

"Umm." Naruto smiled, but Saya noticed it wasn't the usual Naruto smile. He was obviously a bit nervous.

The feel of her adoptive mother's lips on his forehead prompted a bright blush, a sheepish smile and a particularly unrestrained snicker from somewhere in the classroom. This only made Naruto more embarrassed, of course, but Saya was quick to correct this.

"There's nothing to be ashamed of, especially when the person that is snickering at you comes from a family where their way to display affection is by sniffing each other's ass, right, Inuzuka-kun?"

Oh, that shut Kiba up alright. It also made Ino snicker, Sakura blush and wonder and Hinata smile in appreciation of her sensei and wish she were a bit more like her. Nobody noticed Sasuke was struggling to keep a straight face.

Naruto actually voiced Sakura's thoughts.

"Do they really do that?"

Saya smiled in her usual gentle way. "You know, I have absolutely no idea. Alright, your first homework for today is finding out."

Naruto nodded. He liked homework, at least when it was assigned by his parents. "Alright!"

"WE DON'T!!!"

"Ah, they don't." Saya declared matter-of-factly. "Well, Naruto, seems like Inuzuka-kun finished your homework for you."

"Yay!"

Iruka wouldn't take anymore of……well, that. "Alright, kid, take a seat."

Saya's eyes narrowed a bit. "Kid?"

She got no response from the teacher. Naruto looked at Saya as if unsure of what to do.

"Isn't he supposed to, like, introduce himself or something?"

"He can do that later. Now I'd like to get my class started."

Saya and Iruka stared at each other for the good part of a minute. The tension was almost palpable.

"Saya-kaa-chan?"

The woman relaxed and looked down at her beloved child. "Do as your sensei says, Naruto. Don't forget to eat your lunch and don't be late for dinner."

"Ye-Yes."

Naruto had decided on a seat since he first scanned the classroom. Without hesitating or skipping a step, Naruto made his way to the back of the classroom, leaving many to wonder just how did he move so fluidly with his eyes covered like that. It was even worse for those who knew Naruto was blind. Then again, it wasn't such a complicated trip to the back of the classroom, so most of them attributed it to good balance. They still wondered what the deal was with the blindfolded blond, though.

"Will you accompany me to the door, Iruka-kun?"

The teacher caught the hint and followed Saya to the door. Once she made it outside, when she was sure she was out of the visual field of the students, she turned to face Iruka with the fiercest expression she could muster. The surprise attack caught the scarred man unaware and at her mercy.

"Look, boy, I don't give a damn about you. You can hate me and my husband all you want, if that makes you feel better. But if I get even the slightest hint of you being unfair to my child for being either the Nine-Tails' vessel or the Heir of Houraisan, I swear by the Shinigami that watches me that I will make you pay. Understood?"

"…………"

Saya only got a door slammed on her face.

* * *

The bell marked the end of morning classes. It was time for lunch. 

Naruto let go a long, quiet sigh. He was anything but tired. He was bored.

_I guess I can't expect it to be like lessons at home, right?_

He had only nodded to his neighbor when he sat down. He guessed it was a good time as any for a proper greeting.

"We didn't really talk last time we met, umm……Aburame-san."

Shino turned his head to face Naruto. "……no, we didn't."

Indeed, the adults did all of the talking the day Naruto was presented to the clan of insect-users.

Naruto grinned. "Well then, nice to meet 'cha. Houraisan Na……Uzumaki Naruto."

The boy in shades nodded. "Aburame Shino. Pleased to meet you."

Naruto then looked past Shino. Hinata was calmly taking out her lunch box, but Naruto somehow knew she had been listening intently.

"Hello there, Hinata-san."

Hinata froze. For a second, she thought of asking him what happened to "Hina-chan." Then she remembered.

It was an act. Naruto was being true to her request. Until the right time came, they would be, at most, civilized acquaintances.

Then she remembered her little plot to fool everyone in Konoha. It would be interesting, it would be fun, and it wouldn't be very difficult to pull off.

"Ah!?" She gasped as if taken by surprise. "Na-Na-Na-Naruto-kun………" She felt a little bit of blood rushing to her cheeks. It wasn't that hard to do that virtually at will, either. "He-Hello……co-congratulations on making it to the Academy………" She offered him a mild bow.

Naruto was mildly amused. Hinata's little act reminded him of the enervating Hinata of old. The blushing was new, though.

_Well, if this is her act, let her go at it, I guess. Even if I don't really get it._

"Thank you! You're always really, really nice. Please do take care of me while I get used to this place." Naruto spoke calmly and courteously, as it was expected when addressing the future leader of the closest thing to a noble clan Konoha had. He even got off his seat to bow properly.

Hinata, in her mind, was all smiles. Naruto-kun was such a sweetheart. The faster they got into their roles, the better. Naruto would be the average nice guy with a terrible handicap he had struggled to overcome and Hinata……

"Na-Na-Na-Naruto-kun!?" Her voice gradually changed into a pitiful squeak. Her face took an awfully reddish tone which "forced" her to lower her face to conceal it from view. She completed her award-winning performance by pushing the tips of her index fingers together in a gestured that screamed shy and cute. "Ple-Please take……take care of me, too………"

Yep, she was the awfully shy romantic who had the biggest crush on him.

Her head still hanging low, she triggered her Bloodline Limit. Four months before she had learned to activate it without hand seals and she had to thank her father for insisting on her developing this skill. It allowed her to see that the other girls in the classroom, who were clearly listening in the entire conversation, obviously swallowed her little overacting. Perfect.

Turning back to look at Naruto (summoning her best dreamy eyes in the process); she noticed her dear blond seemed to be focused on something else. Or rather, someone else.

Uchiha Sasuke seemed to not be interested in having lunch, staring at the world beyond the window as he was. Naruto had never asked her about Sasuke, but she had still commented on the raven-haired boy a few times. Sasuke had remained quiet and distant; not much different from how it was before the massacre. He was obviously not interested in making friends, either, focusing on nothing but being at the top of the class. In fact, compared to everyone else (except possibly herself, but Hinata didn't flaunt her Taijutsu abilities in the Academy), Sasuke was on a level of his own.

"Ne, Shino……can I call you Shino?"

The boy of Aburame nodded.

"Great. Shino, Hinata-san, check this out. You're gonna love it."

Before either could even think of asking, Naruto was already making hand seals. The motion caught the attention of the few who had been looking in the right direction.

"_**Fuuton: Kitsune Koe no Jutsu**_." The heir of Houraisan whispered before stealthily sneaking out of his seat. By the time he reached Sasuke's row, everyone in the classroom but the aforementioned Uchiha was watching him, waiting for whatever it was the "blind" kid intended to do.

Sasuke was obviously lost in his little world. Naruto's superb stealth easily allowed him to get right behind Sasuke and remain unnoticed. Kiba subtly (so as to not catch Sasuke's attention) held Sakura before she thought of warning her crush. Chouji was chewing down potato chips as if there were no tomorrow. Shikamaru's attention drifted between Naruto and his best friend's impossibly fast food-consuming rate.

Naruto inhaled……and spoke with a voice that was not his.

"Foolish little brother."

While Naruto's words in a perfect imitation of Itachi's voice courtesy of his original voice-changing jutsu made little sense to the aspiring shinobi and kunoichi, Sasuke's reaction made it blatantly obvious that Naruto knew precisely what he was doing.

Less than a second after Naruto spoke, a hyperventilating Sasuke was two rows away in a half-assed Taijutsu stance staring at Naruto as if the blond had sprouted ears, claws, fangs and nine tails.

Naruto was just laughing his ass off.

"AHAHAHAHA!!! Oh, man, can't believe you jumped LIKE THAT!!! Kami, I wish I could see your face!!!! Aha-ack! Ahahahaha!!!! Man………"

Sasuke looked at Naruto and didn't look at him. His mind was still trying to cope with the fact that Itachi was not there to finish the job. It was just Naruto……just one annoying blond………just Naruto……not Itachi………everything's okay………

The speechless class stared at both the prankster and victim, unsure of exactly what they were looking at. It would take a while for most of them to fully understand Naruto's little stunt and Sasuke's reaction.

"Naruto-kun, that was mean……" Shino heard Hinata mutter.

A single leap allowed Naruto to close the gap between him and Sasuke. The two were crouched on an empty table.

"Name's Naruto." The blindfolded boy extended a hand. "Houraisan Uzumaki Naruto!" And in a lower tone… "Pleased to meet you, bastard."

Sasuke stared at the offered hand.

"_If the old Sasuke ever wants to play……or train……he knows where I live."_

He looked up at Naruto's face. The boy who had just played the meanest prank ever was smiling as if all were right with the world. Ino shot an odd glance at Hinata, who was actually swooning (who would have thought eight-year-olds could swoon?). Sakura wanted to ask Sasuke if everything was okay but for some reason she just couldn't open her mouth. Had Kiba been a few years older (and Sakura, too), he would have realized he was copping a feel and leered like a total pervert.

"You……" Sasuke grabbed Naruto's hand. The blond's smile grew impossibly bigger.

"You……"

Naruto gasped as he found himself being pulled forwards by Sasuke's hand.

"You rotten blind bastard!!!"

Naruto leaned to the left just in time to dodge Sasuke's fist before it impacted his face. He immediately jumped away to safe ground.

"Can't hit what you can't catch, Sasuke!"

"TEME!!!!"

Naruto found the reversal of roles amusing. "Dobe!!!" He taunted before leaping out of the window, Sasuke in close pursuit.

Naruto's laughter and Sasuke's screams of fury mixed with frustration would be heard all over Konoha.

* * *

**Author's Notes: **Before anybody asks, no, I'm not losing interest in this story. In fact, I've rarely been so enthusiastic about a story. It's just that, well, studying for a Master Degree is not an easy task, especially in Sweden. But don't worry. The next chapter already has 4000 words and counting. 

Next chapter? Well, it's the last chapter. It's called "Children of Fire." Make your own conclusions. I'll just say that both Naruto and Hinata will grow. In very different ways (you won't believe what I'm going to do with Hinata), but they'll definitely grow. No WTFPWND insta-powers or anything remotely close, though. Not even close. Look forward to it.

* * *

**Jutsu List**

**Fuuton: Kitsune Koe no Jutsu (**風遁狐声の術

**Name:**Wind Release: Fox Voice Technique

**Type:**A-rank, Supplementary, all ranges

**User:**Uzumaki Naruto

The simplest application of this technique allows Naruto to change his voice at will. He can make it sound in any way he can think of. However, there is a far more advanced and more complicated way to use this jutsu. However, it took Naruto several years to take the jutsu to this level.

In its more advanced form, Naruto can use this jutsu to manipulate sound, causing other listeners to hear what he desires to make them hear instead of what was actually said. Of course, Naruto must be able to hear the sound in order to manipulate it, and greater distance between Naruto and the source of the sound requires greater amounts of chakra and more demanding control to accomplish the desired effect. The finer the chakra control, the better Naruto can manipulate the sound. This complex manipulation of sound is what gives the jutsu its elevated rank.

* * *

**Character Profile - Houraisan Saya** (蓬莱山 咲夜) 

**Physical Information**

**Age:**????

**Sex:**Female

**Birthday:**11/15

**Blood type: **A

**Height:**152.4 cm (5'0'')

**Weigth:**38.6 Kg

* * *

**Ninja Information**

**Registration ID: **None

**Hidden Village: **Konoha

**Rank:**None (Kage-level?)

**Team:**None

**Bingo Book Rank: **S

* * *

**Advancement Data**

**Academy Graduation Age: **----

**Chuunin Exam Age: **----

**Elemental Affinity: **Earth

**Other Elements Known: **all but Lightning

**Signature Jutsu: **mostly Taijutsu, especially _**Houraisan no Fukyuu no Ryuu**_.

**Missions Completed: **None

* * *

**Stats (in a scale from 0-10)**

**Ninjutsu:**6. Saya can use all kinds of elemental jutsu but _Raiton_, but she rarely uses Ninjutsu and knows very few jutsu, mostly utility techniques and techniques that increase the effectiveness of her Taijutsu.

**Taijutsu:**10. Saya gets this score only because it's the maximum possible. In fact, she deserves a much higher value. Even Gods fear her Taijutsu, after all.

**Genjutsu:**5. She knows the basics, understands the theory and has learned how to dispel them, and that's it.

**Intelligence:**7. Saya isn't really much of a thinker herself. That's what she has her husband for. She's no moron, though, and can come up with a good strategy when the good old just-beat-the-crap-out-of-him tactic doesn't seem to work.

**Force:**3. Her physical build prevents her from possessing a particularly strong punch, but since most of her attacks involve chakra in some way, it is of little importance.

**Speed:**10. Saya is FAST. Period. Saya is as fast as a human can be, with or without chakra as an aid. Higher scores could only be attained by Supernal entities, like Nekomata.

**Stamina:**10. Saya's stamina is surprising given her body build. She claims it's because of all the sex. The point of the matter is that Saya's chakra reserves are immense; on par with any Kage (or maybe even with two Kages together). Of course, if any Kage lived for as long as Saya has lived, they'd probably get even greater reserves.

**Seal Knowledge: **6. Saya's ability to use hand seals and her seal-making speed are on par with any decent Jounin. She rarely needs to use hand seals, though.


	11. End of the Phantasmagoria, Part 2

**Disclaimer:**I don't own Naruto.

**Author's Notes: **Well, this chapter not only marks the end of "Phantasmagoria of Dichromatic Eyes," it's also the chapter with which I'll break the million-word marks. Well, technically, I crossed this mark a long time ago, if you count the two unfinished stories I deleted ("The Dragon Emperor" and "Death & Beyond: First Period"), but, still, seeing the number on my User Stats gives me quite the feeling. Damn, it's been six years since I posted the first chapter of "Son of Darkness, Son of Light," the 23rd of November of 2001. So many things have changed (back then I thought I just had a frail health……now I know it's a bit more complicated……well, a **lot **more), but a few things have remained the same, which is sort of a relief. I still enjoy anime. I still enjoy reading. I still think lolis rule……forget that last one. Now, seriously, it's been one hell of a ride. I have no idea when this ride will end. Heck, maybe tomorrow I'll wake up and just clean my Fanfiction folder forever and ever. So, while it lasts, please keep looking forward to whatever this poor, pathetic soul can come up with, okay?

For a change, the extra will go before the chapter itself!

* * *

**Character Profile - Houraisan Shiki** (蓬莱山 四季) 

**Physical Information**

**Age:**????

**Sex:**Male

**Birthday:**03/01

**Blood type: **O

**Height:**157.5 cm (5'2'')

**Weigth:**46.2 Kg

* * *

**Ninja Information**

**Registration ID: **None

**Hidden Village: **Konoha

**Rank:**None (Kage-level?)

**Team:**None

**Bingo Book Rank: **S

* * *

**Advancement Data**

**Academy Graduation Age: **----

**Chuunin Exam Age: **----

**Elemental Affinity: **Wind

**Other Elements Known: **all but Fire

**Signature Jutsu: **_**Houraisan Mugen Kekkai **_and its variations.

**Missions Completed: **None

* * *

**Stats (in a scale from 0-10)**

**Ninjutsu:**10. Shiki knows an incredible amount of techniques. He is a walking jutsu encyclopedia. In a way, he was Orochimaru's inspiration. However, no one has an idea of just how many jutsu Shiki knows, because he **never uses them**.

**Taijutsu:**4. Maybe even a four is a bit too high. Shiki only knows _**Hakkeshou**_, and that's only because Saya pestered him until he allowed himself to be taught the style.

**Genjutsu:**4. Shiki's knowledge of Genjutsu is strictly theoretical. He does know the basic dispelling technique, but that's about it.

**Intelligence:**10. Shiki is, in lack of better words, a genius. In addition to his IQ of 168, Shiki possesses eidetic memory and hyperthymesia, as well as an incredible ability to multitask (even without _**Kage Bunshin**_) and an unnatural ability with numbers and calculations. Saya believes that Shiki's mental talents are, in fact, a neurological bloodline limit that will die with him, as both he and Saya are infertile.

**Force:**2. Shiki is not a strong man. If anything, he is average (as in normal human average, not ninja average).

**Speed:**2. Shiki is not fast, either. He can increase his speed with chakra with amazing effectiveness and efficiency, though.

**Stamina:**8. Considering his lack of proper training, Shiki's stamina and chakra reserves are quite formidable. While his great chakra capacity is somewhat understandable, his sheer stamina isn't, just like Saya's. Those in the know guess it's a consequence of the "condition" that has made them so long-lived. Saya claims it's because of all the sex.

**Seal Knowledge:**10. 'Nuff said.

* * *

Now, really, please do enjoy the end of the phantasmagoria.

* * *

_**Phantasmagoria of Dichromatic Eyes**_

**Chapter 8**

**End of the Phantasmagoria (Part II) – Children of Fire**

* * *

"Hanabi-sama is waiting, Houraisan-sama."

Naruto nodded weakly and followed the woman, allowing himself to be guided through the vast extension of the Hyuuga district. No matter how many times he went to that place, he was amazed by its sheer size and old-fashioned elegance.

"Ne, Atsuko-nee-chan……" Naruto, like Shiki, was starting to get acquainted with the names of almost every Hyuuga. "How come I'm 'Houraisan-sama' here and I am 'Naruto-kun' in the hot springs?"

"Because here is here, and there is there." The woman "explained" calmly as if it were the most obvious thing in the world, not even bothering to look down at him. Naruto could only pout and drag his feet behind the woman.

"……excuse me for my rudeness, but you look tired, Houraisan-sama." The tall woman in her early thirties spoke in a subservient but obviously concerned tone. Naruto, who had been looking at his sandals, lifted his head to see the long mane of ebony hair that gracefully covered her upper back like a most beautiful mantle.

"Well, there was all that physical exercising in the Academy today……" He mused. "…and then Taijutsu practice with kaa-chan……but that's not enough to take me down!" He hurried to walk by Atsuko's side; his mile and gait showing he still had plenty of energy, indeed. Atsuko did look impressed.

"Really? Are you sure, Naru-Houraisan-sama?"

"Yup! Kaa-chan says I'm a 'Stamina Monster', but I don't know if that's a compliment…" He frowned. "……Anko said it would make me very lucky in a few years. Do you know what she meant by that, Atsuko-nee-chan? Saya-kaa-chan got really mad at Anko for some reason, though……"

All Hyuuga women, Main or Branch, were taught to be elegant and composed since their early years. Most of them took the lessons to heart. A few, like Hanabi, forgot everything they learned seconds after the lecture was finished and were eventually deemed to be "lost cases." Funny thing is that even the "lost cases" among the Hyuuga are often a notch above the ordinary female when it comes to elegance. A select few, like Himeko, Atsuko, and even Hinata, became exemplars of feminine elegance.

In that moment, Hyuuga Atsuko had to use everything she had been thought to protect her image of an elegant Hyuuga female. It wouldn't do for anyone to see the notoriously crimson blush that threatened to invade her cheeks.

"My……oh my…………stamina, you say?"

Naruto didn't help much. His wide grin and his words were more effective than any jutsu. "Yup, stamina. Lots of it."

"Is……is that so……"

Oh, the girls would have so much to chat about that night……

"Where's Hina……Hinata?" Naruto corrected himself. He could only use "Hina-chan" in front of Hiashi………ironic as that might be. He openly used "Hana-chan" when in the Hyuuga hot springs, though.

Atsuko silently thanked the gods who encouraged Naruto to change the topic.

"Hinata-sama returned home from the Academy barely in time for dinner and right after that she secluded herself in one of the meditation rooms, demanding absolute privacy and no interruptions. She works so hard, that girl……" Atsuko muttered the last words with obvious concern. Naruto had long ago noticed that Atsuko saw all Hyuuga children as hers. What Naruto didn't know was that this was because Atsuko was incapable of having children of her own. This was also the reason she was still single and would remain single until the end of her days.

While she does love all Hyuuga children, she will be the first to admit she has a soft spot for her elder sister's child, Neji, even if the boy isn't prone to displays of affection.

"Heeh, she does, doesn't she?" Naruto commented with a knowing grin Atsuko couldn't read. What Naruto knew that Atsuko didn't was that Hinata was obsessed with the latest exercise Saya had assigned her.

While Naruto was being taken to Hanabi for her first Taijutsu lesson, Hinata was sitting in the middle of an empty room staring at a bucket in which a bonfire raged. The exercise was twofold. First, she was supposed to become able to seize the scorching coals from within the bucket and put them on a nearby plate without burning herself. It was an exercise in speed, the key element of the style she was learning. Second, by meditating close to the fire, Hinata was supposed to "understand the flame" and hopefully figure out how to use Fire-nature chakra.

Saya had made things clear: Hinata's instruction in the _**Karyuu **_style wouldn't progress any further unless she learned to tap into the chakra of her favored element.

"We are here, Houraisan-sama." Atsuki declared after stopping in front of one of dozens of identical sliding doors in the Hyuuga grounds. "Hanabi-sama waits behind this door."

Naruto couldn't stop himself from gulping. _What the hell am I thinking!?_, he wondered. He might be quite proud, but he wasn't as stupid as to think he was an expert on Taijutsu. From what he could tell, Hiashi wanted him to teach Hanabi all the Taijutsu he knew.

"Umm……so……um……bye-bye?"

Atsuko almost giggled. Curiously enough, the matter of Hanabi's instruction under Naruto had remained a secret between Hiashi, his daughters and the Houraisan Clan for several months, since Naruto's last birthday, when it was decided that he would become Hanabi's sensei. The catalyst of the secret becoming public would end up being Hanabi herself. Her education into Hyuuga matters not being as advanced as her sister's (and there's also the fact of Hanabi being **three years old**), Hanabi couldn't stop herself from sharing her excitement with a random Hyuuga. One hour later every single male and female in the clan knew that Hanabi was **SOOOOO** happy because training with Naruto would be **SOOOOO much **fun.

It should be clear by now that Hyuugas are quite the gossipers.

One hour and five minutes later, the entire Council of Elders was screaming bloody murder in Hiashi's studio. Nobody knows exactly what happened inside that room. The council isn't talking, of course. In any case, they left the office almost half an hour later with looks of poorly-concealed frustration, and they never made another reference to Hanabi's education.

"Please take care of Hanabi-sama. Farewell, Houraisan-sama."

Naruto "watched" Atsuko bow politely, as expected when dealing with a Clan Heir, before walking away with a brisk yet fluid pace. Only when she disappeared from the range of his _**Senrigan **_did Naruto turn to face the door.

He opened it.

Of course, _**Senrigan **_couldn't give him much information. It was one of many training rooms in the Hyuuga grounds. Of course, since the only thing Hyuugas train is their _**Jyuuken**_, their definition of "training room" is just a large, empty room. Hanabi was there, of course: sitting on the very center of the room, facing him. Unfortunately, _**Senrigan **_couldn't show him the unbridled emotion that shone in her milky white pupils, and Naruto's perception jutsu wasn't focused enough to detect the way Hanabi's little body shook with excitement and anticipation.

Naruto closed the door behind him before addressing Hanabi. "Hey."

Hanabi only smiled wider. She was told to stay still until told otherwise. It was a real test of her patience and will.

Naruto closed the distance that separated them and dropped to his knees, offering her a weak smile while he tried to deal with his nervousness. So he'd just get Hiashi and an entire clan after him if he screwed up, no big deal.

"Hana-chan."

That was the axe that chopped off the chains. If Naruto could ignore standard Hyuuga student-teacher protocol, so could she.

"Naruto-nii-chan!!!"

"Whoa!"

A second later, Naruto had his back on the floor and a recently-turned-four-years-old-and-quite-joyful Hyuuga girl on top of him. Hanabi's new way to address Naruto wasn't really that new. Naruto actually liked Hanabi's new term of endearment; it was a hell of a lot better than "Ruto." However, he had also noticed that Hanabi did shift back to "Ruto" when she was mad at him for whatever reason (usually because he didn't do whatever she wanted him to do or because she didn't have his undivided attention).

Something else Naruto had noticed was that Hanabi loved both hugging and being hugged. It was an obvious consequence of leaving in a family where physical contact and open displays of affection are the exception rather than the rule. What everyone but Naruto had noticed (everyone being Hinata, Naruto's adoptive parents and the ladies who are regulars at Ladies' Day on the Hyuuga hot springs) was that what Hanabi truly loved was hugging **Naruto **and being hugged **by Naruto**.

It is understandable. After all, Naruto is the only one who doesn't hold back in his interactions with the girl.

As for Naruto, he felt like a huge weight was being cast out of his shoulders. So he was training with Hana-chan. It's not like Hiashi expects him to turn his daughter into a mean war machine in a day or something. Besides, knowing his luck, Hanabi would turn out a Taijutsu genius that would surpass him faster than he could say '_**Hakkeshou**_'.

He still wasn't sure of whether that was a good thing or a bad thing. While he liked _**Yokazeryuu **_and had every intention of being a decent close-combat fighter, he had already come to terms with the fact that his true vocation was Wind Manipulation. Not seals. Seals were an accursed obsession he would never get rid of. If there was anything Naruto truly liked, it was a challenge, and he couldn't think of anything more challenging than cracking the many layers and details of _**Fuuinjutsu**_.

Hadn't he said it before? He'd have a blast teaching Hanabi.

"Ne, Hana-chan."

Merely inches above his face, Hanabi's own brimmed with enthusiasm. A trademark Naruto grin adorned her lovely infantile features. "Hmm?"

At such a close distance Naruto could actually tell Hanabi's quite notorious facial expressions, which prompted him to return the smile with one of his own.

"Ready to have some fun and learn how to kick ass?"

Making a mental note to ask her sister what an "ass" is, and why should she learn how to kick it, Hanabi answered Naruto's question based on the part she could actually understand.

"Yup!"

* * *

Writing had become a ritual. For someone to whom the simple acts of reading and writing are a challenge, the act of sitting down, grabbing the brush and condensing thoughts into written form was serious stuff. 

Naruto just wanted to write his thoughts. By writing them, he would ensure he never forgot them. After a month, he had only gone through four formal lectures, but he had read more about _**Fuuinjutsu**_ than most Shinobi read in their lifetimes.

The art of sealing was, by far, the most ridiculously complicated thing he had ever "seen." He could barely make anything of the crazy concepts Shiki was trying to drill in his head. His sensei had even admitted that it was quite early for Naruto to start studying such a difficult art. However, Shiki didn't seem to have any intention to interrupt his _**Fuuinjutsu **_education and Naruto had no intention to relent. He'd just have to put a little bit more effort, that's all.

If he knew what IQ was, Naruto would have wished he had a few more points.

What Naruto didn't know was that most Seal Specialists didn't bother to study the theory behind _**Fuuinjutsu**_. Being the Shinobi they are they just memorize the well-documented techniques and the tried-and-true methods that get the results they want. They learn what symbol does what and what effects different arrays of symbols will inflict on different targets both alive and inanimate. It's mostly education focused on application: learn how to do it and learn what it does. Don't care about the hows or the whys.

Unfortunately (or fortunately) for Naruto, he was stuck with Shiki, and Shiki **cares** about the how's and the why's. No man on Earth has studied the theory of _**Fuuinjutsu **_like the leader of Clan Houraisan, mostly because no one **gives a damn **about the theory of _**Fuuinjutsu **_nearly as much as the leader of Clan Houraisan, and with good reason. They are Shinobi, not sages.

On the other side, Shiki is not a Shinobi. He is a good example of a real "sennin." So, if Naruto wanted to learn _**Fuuinjutsu **_from Shiki, he would have to study all the ridiculously complicated details no Shinobi cares about, much to his chagrin.

In any case, the boy was resorting to taking the entangled mess of thoughts he had gathered in the past month and try to make something remotely orderly out of them. He decided recording those thoughts on paper might help. So he got started, talking loudly to himself as he wrote.

"Shiki-sensei defines _**Fuuinjutsu**_ as 'the Art of manipulating one or more properties of an entity definable within a bounded field.' What the hell does that mean? Well, we have to define 'Bounded Field.'"

"In a general way, a field refers to any……what was the word……ah, right! 'A hypothetical space in which the state of an entity can be described'. The term 'bounded' means that this state is confined to specific values, and therefore it cannot be infinite……of course, this is just me repeating sensei's words; I have no idea what they mean."

"Every sealable entity can be defined in terms of a **Bounded Field**, a set of **Properties** and the **State Functions **associated to those Properties. The calculation of these Fields and Functions are made with some crazy mathematics I don't give a damn about. The point is that the State Functions show the different states a Property of an entity can take. These are called **Bound States**."

"A seal is a chakra construct that imposes specific conditions on a Bounded Field, and so imposing a specific Bound State on the entity to be sealed. All seals obey the **Postulates of **_**Fuuinjutsu**_. The first postulate states that an entity can only be sealed into a Bound State of the Property or Properties that you want to manipulate. There are no other acceptable states. This means that you just cannot seal anything in any way. There are only specific ways in which something can be sealed. The second postulate says that among all the Bound States associated with a given Property, there is one** Natural State**, and the entity will always try to reach this Natural State. This means that, the further my seal keeps the entity's Property from its Natural State, the more difficult the seal will be. Shiki-sensei made this example……in theory; you can make a seal that makes you immortal. However, in practice, using this seal is absolutely impossible, because the Natural State of all living things is to die one day, and being immortal is as far from the Natural State as you can get. With that example all that crap I said before makes a lot more sense, doesn't it?"

"And now come the fundamental Bounded Fields………fundamental my ass! I DON'T GET ANY OF THIS CRAP!!! And these are supposed to be the simplest!? This doesn't make any sense! Why do I have to learn all this mathematics shit!? Aaaaargh, my head hurts!!!!"

A few yards away, in the living room, Saya shot a worried look at the door to Naruto's room.

"You do realize you're asking too much from him, don't you, Shiki?"

The husband took a long sip of the warm, invigorating green tea. "I do. I don't expect him to understand the minute details of the theory any time soon. I do intend to introduce him to storage seals next weekend."

"Then you're just torturing him? Minato didn't start reading _**Fuuinjutsu **_theory until he was seventeen!"

Shiki calmly shook his head. "Saya, nowadays nobody bothers to study the theory or doing any mathematical work when designing seals. And that's because myself and others already did that a very long time ago. Nowadays, if a ninja wants to make a new seal, he just has to look for an already-existing seal with a similar effect and use it as a basis. They all do nothing but modify the works of others. Take Seal 'A', put a few more symbols and lines here and there and you get 'Original Seal B'. No one is innovating; no one is trying to think outside the box, no one is trying to come up with something truly original. _**Fuuinjutsu **_has become a stagnant art. My hope is that Naruto becomes the one to change that."

"Naruto."

"You've said it before: the kid is creative. We both know he can think outside the box. I just want him to realize that there's so much that hasn't been done with _**Fuuinjutsu **_yet. I want him to develop his own _**Fuuinjutsu **_style, just like I did with _**Mugen Kekkai**_. It's the same reason I haven't taught him many jutsu: I want him to use that brain of his, instead of being stuck as a loud-mouthed ramen-loving idiot."

"You and I both know he can do it. As long as he wants to, he can do it. Because there's nothing impossible for him."

* * *

Naruto arrived early to his second day of classes and claimed the seat next to Sasuke's before any of his fangirls. Sasuke and Naruto would claim those same seats every single day onwards until their graduation. Sasuke grudgingly admitted to himself that between the girls and Naruto, he'd take Naruto anytime. Besides, it wasn't like he could stop the stubborn blond bastard. 

Several months passed.

It was lunchtime of the first day after the summer holidays. Naruto's and Sasuke's relationship didn't extend beyond the classroom's walls, so the blond and the raven-haired hadn't seen each other for a month or so. That didn't stop them from returning to their previous routine the moment they met in the classroom: Naruto had greeted the quiet Uchiha with a "Yo!" Sasuke just 'hnn'ed' and took the seat by the window.

They spent the morning lectures in silence; Sasuke attentive and quickly scribbling notes; Naruto leaning back with a relaxed expression and memorizing the teacher's words.

Sasuke couldn't help but be piqued with curiosity when Naruto, instead of taking out his usual lunch box, revealed a scroll out of somewhere in his clothes. That's when he noticed that Naruto didn't really carry anything else with him. He was used to Naruto not carrying notebooks, but the heir of Houraisan had never failed to show the particularly voluminous "Saya-chan's Rabu-Rabu Bento!" (This being the name **carved** on the side of the box, much to Naruto's embarrassment)

That's why his curiosity went up and way past the roof when Naruto unfurled the scroll revealing the strangest array of symbols he had ever seen.

Then again, Sasuke hadn't really seen many arrays of symbols.

Naruto's curious display had caught the attention of pretty much everyone who hadn't left the classroom, namely Sasuke's stalk…admirers (including Haruno Sakura and Yamanaka Ino). While they couldn't understand a thing about the array of symbols, it as easy for they to tell it was perfectly symmetrical in every direction. That is, the whole array was made of a single pattern that repeated itself from the center outwards in a geometrically fractal pattern.

Naruto performed a sequence of three hand seals and touched an apparently-random symbol with the tip of a finger. Those who were the closest reflexively backed away from the sudden poof and the cloud of smoke. The loud and obvious display of the unsealing also drew the attention of some fourth-year students who, coincidentally enough, passed by the classroom door on their way out of the building.

The blindfolded Naruto was already enjoying his unsealed boxed lunch when the smoke fully dissipated.

"Wha……what was that?" Sakura voiced everyone else's thoughts. Her voice was awkwardly hushed. Naruto only grinned. He was about to reply when a second voice from behind interrupted him.

"Na-Naruto? Is that you?"

Naruto stiffened. "That voice!" Quickly spinning around to jump off his desk, startling Sasuke, Sakura, Ino and everyone else who was watching him or pretending not to in the process, Naruto expanded his vision to find the source of those words. "You are……!!!"

"Naruto!! It's really you!!!"

"Ten-chan!!!"

He hurried to meet his long-lost friend, only to be welcomed with a smack on the crown of his head.

"OW! Ten-chan!!!"

"No 'Ten-chan' me, Naruto!" Her voice was strong enough to make Naruto cower, but those who could see her face could see she was more amused than angered. "You lied to me! You never showed up by the shop again! You little runt! You **bad** **friend**!"

Hinata, who had known Naruto long enough to learn how to read his body language (……a little), was the only one who noticed the way Naruto was stunned by Tenten's words, if only for just an instant. He quickly recovered and went for a half-assed grin and a hand on the back of his head, but that didn't stop Hinata from shooting a cold stare at the newcomer.

Naruto had the decency to look apologetic. At least, as apologetic as a blindfolded person can look.

"Eeeh, uuuh, I've been doing a lot of training, Ten-chan………and I don't really know where your place is, so……"

"You could have asked Saya-sama." Tenten unknowingly used her best pouting voice. Naruto actually winced.

"Ehehehe…right………I'm sorry?"

Twack! Another smack.

"OW!!!"

Tenten grinned.

Even if her looks weren't really tomboyish, everyone who was watching could just get **that feel** from her. Maybe it was because of her smile, which lacked the distinct "flair" of a young girl's smile, being replaced with a sort-of-masculine mischievousness. "Silly Naruto."

Feeling the change in the tone of her voice, Naruto allowed himself to return the grin. "Ehehehe."

"Ne…" Tenten bent her body slightly forwards, inching her face closer to Naruto's. "What was-"

Tenten had to stop midsentence to look around. She had felt a sudden chill going down her spine; a sensation of impending danger of the likes of nothing she had felt before. It was a feeling she would get quite acquainted with during her kunoichi career.

At the tender age of nine, Tenten discovered killing intent.

"……Ten-chan?"

Tenten ignored Naruto's questioning words. She was sure it had come from somewhere to her right……but that didn't make sense. The only ones there were that boy wearing shades who didn't even seem to be paying attention to her, and that cute Hyuuga girl……

Shino frowned. For some reason he couldn't fathom, his _**kikaichuu**_ seemed to be crawling away from Hinata. He could almost swear it was getting warmer, too.

The bun-haired upperclassman decided to just let go. The horrible feeling had passed as suddenly as it had emerged on the first place.

"Ah, Naruto, what was that you did just now?"

Naruto responded with his megawatt grin. Center of attention, all right. "Hehehe! Thanks for asking, Ten-chan!"

Tenten followed the blond back to his seat, ignoring the looks she was getting and wondering if she looked at her upperclassmen the same way. She also ignored the way the penetrating look the Uchiha was giving her. A few years later she might have thought he was stripping her naked with his eyes.

"My family's specialty is seals, just like the bastard's is Fire techniques."

"The bastard?"

Sasuke raised a hand with an expression of obvious disgust. "That would be me."

"Oh."

"Ah, yeah. Uchiha bastard, this is Ten-chan. You'll never be nearly as cool as her."

Sasuke suppressed a growl, but actually took Naruto's words to heart and looked at the girl with even more attention, resulting on Tenten drawing the quiet ire and envy of his admirers. The girl actually blushed a bit at Naruto's opinion of her. Had she really impressed him that much in the single morning they spent together?

"We……we have actually met, Naruto, remember?"

Naruto blinked under his bandana. "Oh……oh, right!" Naruto turned to Sasuke with an angry look. "That's when you said you didn't like ramen, teme!"

Sasuke nodded and smirked. He remembered that too. He would never admit it, but it was one of his fondest memories.

"I still don't."

"I swear; there is something terribly wrong with you." Naruto stood up again (his lunch long forgotten) and put his right fist on his chest. "In the name of the world's ramen lovers, I swear I **will fix you**, Sasuke!"

"In the name of all that is good and holy, please don't."

"Bu-But!" Naruto tried a supplicant expression, but it was hard to tell, given his condition. "Sasukeeeeee……" He whined. "It's **ramen**!"

"…………so?"

"Ugh……ah!" Naruto withdrew a familiar-looking stick from his "Pocky holster." "At least you have to like Pocky."

Sasuke developed an unhealthy twitch of the right eye. He would keep it until the end of his days. "………now you're just asking for a beating."

Naruto snorted. "Right, as if you could."

Sasuke raised an eyebrow. "Is that a challenge, Naruto?"

Naruto smirked……and shrugged. "Nah, it's lunchtime."

Sasuke could only blink when Naruto turned his back to him and faced Tenten one more time with his usual radiant smile. "What were we talking about again?"

Everyone stared dumbfounded at the sector of the classroom where all this took place. That was the longest conversation Uchiha Sasuke had participated in since, well, ever. And he had actually shown initiative to join the conversation!

The girls in the classroom began muttering amongst themselves.

Slumped down on his desk on the front row, Nara Shikamaru lazily opened an eye and shot an unusual look at the Houraisan and the Uchiha.

"Hmmm………amusing. Amusing, but troublesome."

"Wha……what is it?" Chouji managed to articulate between mouthfuls of rice.

"Nothing." Shikamaru declared the conversation to be over by dropping his eyelid. However, there was a curious vestige of a smile on his face that not even Chouji could make anything of.

Tenten? Tenten only chuckled.

"So you two have been friends all this time?"

The heads jerked to look up at Tenten. "We're NOT FRIENDS!!!"

The same two heads jerked one more time to look at each other. "WHAT THE HELL!?"

"STOP COPYING ME!!"

"I'M NOT COPYING YOU!!!"

"DAMN IT, UCHIHA!!!/NARUTO!!!"

"YOU WANT A PIECE OF ME!?"

"HEY!!!"

"AH!? THAT'S IT, I'M KICKING YOUR ASS!!!"

Tenten's laughter interrupted the escalating simultaneous dialogue. "Ahahaha, you two are hilarious!!!"

Sasuke glared at Naruto while Tenten clutched her sides in laughter. He was getting odd looks from most of the classroom, too. Especially from the girls.

"See what you've done, Naruto. She thinks I'm 'hilarious'."

"Well, it's a nice change from 'ramen-hating bastard'."

"I'm not hilarious!" Sasuke hissed. "I'm the cool, quiet guy."

It was Naruto's turn to explode in laughter. "**You**, cool!? You've gotta be **kidding** me! You're not cool! **I **am cool."

He then pointed to Shino in the back seat. "Shino is cool."

Shino nodded. Hinata raised an eyebrow.

Naruto pointed at Chouji. "Chouji is cool, too."

Chouji beamed. Shikamaru smiled without opening his eyes. _Nice one, Naruto._

Naruto then pointed at Tenten, who was still chuckling a little bit. "Tenten is **super** cool."

The weapon-mistress-to-be grinned in appreciation.

"Anko is cool. She's completely insane, but she's cool. Itachi-nii-san was, like almost as cool as ramen is awesome……until the mass murdering, of course. Now he's just badass. Like the old man. He's not cool at all, but if he's the Hokage he's got to be pretty damn badass, ne?"

Sasuke knew he was supposed to explode in anger and reduce Naruto's face to an unrecognizable bloody mass. Any single mentioning of his older brother's name made his blood boil and his face contort in an ugly mask of cold anger. However, he just didn't feel that when dealing with Naruto. Maybe Naruto just saw him and Itachi from a completely different perspective, or maybe there was just something about Naruto that made Sasuke not hate him………much.

He still wanted to kick Naruto's ass for being so damn annoying, though.

"You? You're not cool. You're just an Uchiha pretty boy."

"You're so dead."

"Yeah, yeah, you always say that."

"Hey! I'm cool, too!"

"Yeah, sure, whatever, Kiba."

Tenten giggled. Naruto was still damn funny. "So, about these seals…?"

"Ah, right! These are storage seals. Haven't they taught you these, Ten-chan?"

Tenten only shook her head.

"Umm……" A sheepish Sakura raised her head as if she were in the middle of class. "I……I think storage seals are covered on the last year……"

"Oh." That was Naruto. "Anyway, it's really cool! And really useful! You can put almost anything in these, so you can carry lots and lots of things!"

"Hmm……" Tenten leaned over Naruto's shoulder to check the scroll more closely.

Shino** very** subtly moved a bit to the left. Yes, it was definitely getting warmer. And, yes, his insects were very wary of Hinata for some reason.

"But……" Tenten muttered. "If you have to make all these weird symbols to seal a single thing, then it's not really that useful."

Everyone around Naruto (yes, even Sasuke) nodded. Naruto shook his head.

"Oh, no, no, no! This isn't a single seal! This is a whole seal array! I have lots of things stored in this scroll!"

He made the ram seal and touched another part of the scroll. A square shaped bag made of cloth appeared.

"Like a spare change of clothes."

Another hand seal, another tap, another poof of smoke. "The scroll with my notes on _**Fuuinjutsu**_."

And one last time. "Extra Pocky, of course!"

Sasuke growled.

"You just have to be careful when making the array, so that you don't end up making a mess with all the things you want to seal. Of course, it's more complicated if you want to add vectors and sub-matrixes and stuff……"

"What's a vector?" The ever-curious Sakura asked. Tenten tugged at Naruto's right arm, showing that she shared the pink-haired girl's curiosity.

Naruto frowned. He was trying to come up with a way to explain one of the most basic concepts in the most basic form of _**Fuuinjutsu**_. "Oh, right!"

He did the ram seal one more time. This time, a larger explosion of smoke covered the scroll without Naruto touching it in any moment. Naruto had summoned a blank piece of paper, a brush and a small flask of black ink. He quickly made six parallel vertical lines followed by six horizontal lines crossing the first ones.

"Let's say this is a seal array, and each little square is, like, a slot where I can put a single thing. There should be, umm, twenty-five slots, right?"

"Yup." Tenten answered for everyone.

"Right. So, the simplest storage array does just that: it puts things in these slots and lets me unseal them and seal them back whenever I want. The thing is; I have to seal and unseal things one at a time. So, if I wanted to, umm, empty the whole thing, it would take a long time, right?"

"Right."

Naruto nodded and smiled. "So, you can also make the array so that you can seal and unseal whole lines of squares at the same time, either this way…" He slid the brush over a column or squares. "…or this way." He did the same motion over a row. "These are **vectors**."

"The whole array is also called a **matrix**. So, a **sub-matrix** is a smaller matrix inside the big one."

"How big is the array in your scroll?"

Sasuke suddenly became the center of attention of almost the entire classroom (plus Tenten). "……what!?"

Naruto chuckled. "Mine's a 6-by-6 array with full vector configuration as well as 1-by-3, 3-by-1 and 3-by-3 options."

Even if he was without sight, he knew his classmates (plus Tenten) wouldn't get a word of what he had just said, so he quickly explained himself.

"It's a 6-by-6, so I can store up to thirty-six things. I can summon any row and any column at the same time, and I can summon things in groups of three or groups of nine. It was a homework Shiki-sensei made me do, but I keep it with me because it's damn useful……and it took me a whole month of work –including a whole week of all-nighters– to get it done. Ugh, seals are a pain………"

Shikamaru shuddered. At least his family techniques weren't **that** complicated.

Sasuke narrowed his eyes. "You keep learning all sorts of interesting techniques, Naruto."

"Oh, come on, Sasuke; don't tell me you didn't cackle in glee when you realized you had your family's jutsu scrolls all for yourself."

Sasuke actually blushed. Her mother had shot him odd looks for weeks after she heard his maniacal laughter.

"Ne, Naruto……"

"Hmm? What is it, Ten-chan?"

Tenten's gears were turning. "You……you said you can store anything in these seals? Like, let's say……weapons? **Lots** of weapons?" By the look on her face, any adult would say she was closer to sexual release than any nine-year-old **should **be.

Naruto's grin was almost evil. "See, Sasuke? That's why Ten-chan's waaay cooler than you."

While most of the classmates eventually lost interest and returned to their lunches, Naruto, Sasuke, Tenten and Sakura spent their lunchtime (something they would regret later) talking about the ways in which weapon specialists used seals. Sakura thought she had hit the jackpot. She was learning **and **spending time with Sasuke! He was even looking at her straight in the eyes!

Eventually (too soon, Sakura would say), Tenten said her goodbyes, not before making sure Naruto promised one more time to stop by her place sooner or later (preferably sooner).

Naruto's_** Senrigan **_and Sasuke's eyes were still following her departing form as she approached the back door when Tenten suddenly cried in pain and surprise and fell forward, barely putting her hands in front of her in time to not fall flat on her face.

"Ten-chan!!" Naruto rushed to the back of the classroom to check on his friend.

Tenten was rubbing her left leg. Naruto couldn't see her worried and puzzled expression, though.

"It's nothing…… a sudden cramp, that's all."

"A-Ano……" A quiet, shy voice drew Tenten's attention. "A-Are you okay……?" Hinata, from her seat (Tenten had fallen right behind her), offered a small hand to the older girl. Tenten blinked.

_Whoa……not like Neji-san at all._ Tenten thought while she accepted the aid and let Hinata pull her up. _Whoa, she's pretty strong!_

Hinata, skilled actress she is, didn't find it hard to hide her disappointment. She had aimed to totally disable Tenten's left leg. Apparently she still had to practice hitting pressure points at high speed. The fact that not even Shino next to her noticed her lightning-fast strike was a small victory, though.

* * *

Shutting off his _**Senrigan **_(no need to waste chakra, after all), Naruto let his body rest on the grass. 

Naruto didn't celebrate his birthday. That's not to say he spent his birthdays like he spent any ordinary day. The tenth day of _**Kannazuki **_is one of Konoha's holidays, after all. That means no lectures at the Academy.

He knew he had many reasons to be happy on his ninth birthday. Two years before, his life changed forever. However, he couldn't help but fall prey to a bitter melancholy. Last year he had been too excited with his Academy registration and his official adoption as a member of the Houraisan Clan to think about…well, anything else.

Unfortunately, it was different that year. For some reason (he blamed an evil god whose sole purpose in life is making him miserable) he couldn't stop his mind from reviewing the looks, the voices, the insults, the contempt, the shunning, the disgust, the bullies and the occasional thrown object. The looks had faded into a blurry, indistinguishable form, and the voices had been reduced to a generic male voice and a general female one. However, they still bothered him, and he didn't know why.

He had no need to worry about ugly looks anymore thanks to his lack of sight. His overall situation had improved since that fateful day two years before, and especially since he officially became the Heir of Houraisan. However, there were still those who didn't care about the fact he had been adopted by a "clan of nobodies."

While it was obvious to him that Shiki-sensei and Saya-kaa-chan had some sort of reputation among shinobi, it was just as obvious they were utterly unknown by the common public. While civilians treat all members of great clans with the utmost respect, Shiki and Saya were just ordinary people to them. Even worse, they now were the adoptive parents of the "demon brat." Therefore, the cold, contemptuous attitude Konoha had used on Naruto had now spread to his small family, too. While Shiki rarely visited places other than the Hokage Tower, Saya spent a lot more time with Naruto and she, too, had become the object of looks of scorn and disgust. Naruto couldn't see this, but he could feel it. He could also hear the things they uttered when she walked by his side. Sometimes he felt like just letting loose and kick their asses. Somehow, whenever such thoughts reached his mind, Saya noticed and squeezed his shoulder. He once asked her about that, wondering if she had some sort of badass mind-reading power. Saya simply smiled gently and said "A mother knows."

He didn't really understand, but her words made him love her even more.

Nevertheless, in the end, the situation hadn't changed much. Only now he had a reason to persevere and not let the words of other people get to him. He had a family.

Then why did it bother him so much?

There were probably several reasons. The most immediate would be Sakura. While they were never the best of friends, they had had a good relationship ever since he joined the Academy. She would gladly help him whenever he had questions about the lectures (Pity for his blindness? Eagerness to show off her book smarts? Naruto didn't give a damn); he would help as mediator so that she could have a decent conversation with Sasuke, and, since they shared a common friend in Ino (and the three of them shared a love for flowers and plants in general), they generally had a good time together.

So, when one day Sakura started acting distant towards him, to the point of actively avoiding him, he got worried. The only explanation he got from her consisted of nine painful words.

"My parents won't let me talk to you anymore."

Obviously, Sakura had made the terrible mistake of mentioning Naruto to her family.

Naruto didn't care anymore. He had gotten used to being hated. But something still bothered him.

……_why?_

No one would give him a reason: his adoptive parents, old man Hokage, Anko, the nice Hyuuga ladies……and that pissed him off.

This is the reason he didn't celebrate his birthday. This and the fact that every person he would have liked to invite to a celebration of any sort would be busy attending the Golden Festival.

"Stupid Kyuubi……had to die the day I was born………"

A certain nine-tailed Kitsune was quite amused by this comment.

He had departed from the house after dinner and cake, claiming that he wanted to take a walk. His parents didn't say anything, and he was thankful for that. While day and night no longer made any difference to him (_**Senrigan **_works the same no matter the time of day), he had a good idea of what time it was. He could even hear the sounds of celebration coming from the village as a hushed humming. It was a shame he wouldn't get to see the fireworks (Mikoto and Sasuke had surprised the whole village by announcing there would be fireworks that year). He was sure the bastard was looking forward to showing off his _**Katon **_skills in front of the entire population of Konoha. If just for that, Naruto knew the show would be quite interesting.

He was about to release a long, bored sigh……until he caught the sound of footsteps.

"Who's there!?" Naruto shouted in alarm. He rolled to get on one knee and quickly made the seals for _**Senrigan**_ (while mentally kicking himself for cancelling it on the first place). It was simple mental reaction. He had little reason to assume the newcomer was in any way a threat (or any person other than Shiki or Saya), but he had been thinking some rather depressing thoughts just before.

The footsteps ceased.

"Naruto-nii-chan?"

Naruto felt awfully cold for some reason, to the point that he interrupted his hand seal sequence. Something in her voice…… "Hana-chan!?"

Hanabi gasped and ran over to familiar arms. "Naruto-nii-chan!!!"

Naruto stayed still, speechless, while the inconsolable girl cried on his chest. Such was the extent of his disconcert.

"Ha-Hana-chan, how……why……what?"

"Naruto-nii-chan, I was scared! I called your name, but I couldn't find you!!!" This was her answer before she buried her face back on his chest for a second round of wailing.

Naruto was surprised, confused, and more than a little scared. It was a kaleidoscope of emotions that bothered him greatly.

If just for that, Naruto swore he wouldn't allow anything to make Hanabi cry.

Not again.

Taking advantage of her stillness, he wrapped his arms around her small body and joined hands to redo his seals.

"_**Fuuton. Fuujin Senrigan no Jutsu**_."

"Hana-chan, why are you here…?"

"'cause it's your birthday!" Hanabi cried, looking up at the mildly glowing orbs that replaced Naruto's eyes. "I wanted to……" She hiccupped.

Naruto blinked. He quickly reconstructed the events with the little tidbit of information he had just received. Hanabi wanted to see him on his birthday (as she is too young to go to the Festival with Hiashi and Hinata), so she somehow evaded her guard (which was probably a bit lax due to the holiday) and went through the back gate to the Houraisan Clan Grounds. Of course, in such a big forest at night and with no idea where to go, she quickly got lost.

Naruto expanded his field until he caught three other human-shaped signatures. The four Hyuuga shinobi had probably found Hanabi a while ago, but their training specified with excessive detail when they were allowed to intervene and when they were not. Had Hanabi succumbed to her fear and begun crying in the middle of the forest, they would have rushed to her aid. However, she was not alone anymore, so they would just watch her from the shadows.

"The Houraisan Clan will see to Hanabi-sama's wellbeing from now on." Naruto spoke loudly in his best authoritative voice……which wasn't really that good. "You may leave."

Normally, the Hyuuga guards would dismiss the words of a child. This child, however, happened to be the heir of an allied great clan. Naruto had dismissed them. Hanabi was no longer their responsibility. Should something happen to her, the blame would fall on Naruto's clan. The words of an heir were a binding contract.

When he was sure the guards were gone, Naruto compressed his perception jutsu to no more than five meters radius. Hanabi had stopped crying and just looked up at him with mild confusion. The blonde tried a comforting smile.

"Well, you found me, Hana-chan."

Hanabi's big white eyes blinked like the flutter of a moth's wings. It took her a few seconds to make something, anything, of the simple sentence Naruto had uttered.

She smiled.

Naruto, who had decided to focus his perception solely on Hanabi (there wasn't anything interesting to watch elsewhere, anyway), managed to notice that it wasn't the usual wide grin the youngest of Hiashi's daughter's always sported. He would even say it was a shy smile.

"……happy birthday, nii-chan."

Naruto swelled with unbound happiness. Sure, it was nice being congratulated by his adoptive parents (and he didn't mind Saya's asphyxiating smothering one bit). The Third Hokage was too busy that day to pay him a visit, but he at least sent a note (with kanji large enough for Naruto to read) and a gift (the birthday cake the Houraisan family enjoyed right after dinner). He also got a note signed by Hiashi and Hinata, as well as a present from the Hyuuga heiress (he was surprised Hinata had figured out the recipe for the **Elixir of Forceful Rest**; a fancy name for a sleeping concotion that grants the benefit of a full eight hours of sleep in half the time. She really had a penchant for those things). He thought nobody else knew of his birthday, so his surprise was immense when he also got an interesting package containing a scroll and a note.

_Happy Birthday._

_Thank you._

While the note itself didn't give any hint on the sender, the content of the scroll allowed Naruto to figure out his identity (an identity that pleased Naruto immensely). He was incapable of using its contents, but the scroll with _**Katon: Boukouka no Jutsu **_joined his slowly-growing library of precious documents. Besides, even if he didn't figure it out from the scroll, the big box of homemade nikuman with a suggestion to share it with the whole family signed by one Uchiha Mikoto was an obvious giveaway.

Sure, it had been quite the nice birthday. Still, Hanabi was the first person other than his parents that congratulated him face-to-face. The childish honesty and sincere affection touched him in a way no birthday note, gift or card could hope to match.

Any traces of his earlier depression were utterly obliterated. How could he possibly be depressed when he had an angel like Hyuuga Hanabi?

"Hana-chan……thank you."

Hanabi's grin widened a bit (still not nearly as wide as her usual grins) and she lifted her body to plant a peck on his right cheek.

"Eh?"

"That was from Tsuki-san."

Hyuuga Tsuki, 21 years old. When Hanabi (being the loose-mouth she is) made a comment on Naruto's approaching birthday to one of her attendants, there was a commotion within the female ranks of the Hyuuga. What could they do for the child on his birthday, without the Council of Elders (or the rest of Konoha) noticing?

The answer was simple (?). Naruto spent the most time with Hanabi, so Hanabi would give Naruto a kiss for each and every single one of them. The little, innocent girl couldn't figure out how kisses could a birthday present make, but she had been assured Naruto would like it, so she went along with it. They had also said she might come to like it too, but, after the first kiss, she couldn't make anything of it.

Hanabi kissed the exact same spot on Naruto's right cheek.

"Ah…"

"From Chitose-san."

Hyuuga Chitose, 33 years old.

And again.

"Uhh……"

"From Mikami-san."

Hyuuga Mikami, 28 years.

Before Naruto could open his mouth to say anything, his lips were locked by Hanabi's for two astoundingly soft, mildly sweet and slightly moist seconds.

Hanabi paid no heed to the dumbfounded Naruto. After all, it was kind of difficult to tell he was dumbfounded, not having eyes and all that.

"That was from Mayumi-chan. She told me to kiss you on the lips." Hanabi shrugged. "I don't really get the difference." She explained. "I think it's weird, but I've seen other people doing it."

Naruto, having being brought back to Earth by Hanabi's words, actually put some thought into that. "Now that you say it……I do remember having seen adults do the whole kiss-on-the-mouth thing. Yeah, I mean, what's the difference?

Without any prior warning, Hanabi kissed him again, this time for a full four seconds.

"You feel any difference, nii-chan?"

Naruto frowned and concentrated, as if he were working on one of Shiki's assignments. "Well, I was surprised, but that's because you kissed me all suddenly and that……but, uhhh……I think……could you-mmmhhmhmm!!!"

Hanabi kissed him again.

"Hana-chan! Tell me before you do that again!!!"

"I'm gonna do it again." Hanabi immediately declared.

"Eh?-mmhmm!!!"

After the fourth kiss, while Naruto struggled with a sudden lack of oxygen, a heart that beat faster for some reason and a ticklish feeling he couldn't quite decipher, Hanabi frowned in the standard Naruto-ish way (she's absorbing more and more traits from her sensei, it seems), resting her left elbow on her right hand and her head on the left hand. It was an interesting posture, considering that she was sitting on Naruto's lap on the first place.

"It's kinda……ticklish?"

Naruto blinked and smiled a bit. "Oh, you get that too! Weird……we should ask Saya-kaa-chan or something."

"Hmm……oh, anyway!"

Hanabi switched to the left cheek this time.

"That one's from Otsune-san."

"Ha-Hana-chan!"

Hanabi just grinned. For some reason, the ticklish feeling appeared after that kiss, too (or maybe it had been there the whole time; she just hadn't noticed it). It wasn't an unpleasant feeling, so there. In fact, while she didn't like tickles (a consequence of being extremely ticklish and everyone else taking advantage of that), this particular ticklish feeling was mild and nice.

She was starting to enjoy this kissing game.

* * *

Across a small table placed in front of the main entrance of the Houraisan house, Shiki and Hiashi chatted over tea. They also watched over Hinata's practice. That day she was just practicing the standard "circle walking" of _**Hakkeshou **_around a particularly large bonfire. Even from a distance, it could be seen that the heat was bothering her quite a bit. 

"I can't help but notice Saya-san's absence." Hiashi stated. "Why isn't she watching over Hinata's training?"

"Well, actually, Saya hasn't watched over Hinata's training for quite a while." Shiki explained. "She has made it clear that Hinata must learn how to shape Fire-nature chakra. Her _**Karyuu**_ training won't be resumed until Hinata fulfills that condition."

"However…" Shiki took a sip of his tea. "There is actually another reason Saya is absent today. In fact, she's locked herself in the dojo since the early morning."

"And what would that reason be?"

Shiki grimaced. "Jiraiya actually published his…umm……romance novel."

Hiashi twitched. He was quite aware of the nature of the Sannin's……literary career. "………is that so."

"He sent Saya a free copy. She's been reading it since sunrise."

"Oh really?"

"Yeah really."

They watched Hinata in silence for a while. Her plain blue training outfit was soaked in sweat; her panting marked the pace of her motions and the rhythm of the swings of her arms.

"………where's Naruto?"

"He's actually in your house, Hiashi. When he came back from classes and noticed Saya wasn't around, he decided to just go get Hanabi."

Hiashi nodded in acknowledgement. "He takes it quite seriously. Hanabi's training, that is."

"Did you expect anything else?"

"Of course not. I would be quite disappointed otherwise."

The dojo's door was harshly slid open, revealing Saya and her disturbingly wide smile.

"Ahhhh, that was great!!!"

Hiashi found Shiki's perturbed expression quite amusing. Saya approached the two while patting her orange book affectionately.

"That was one good read."

Shiki sighed in defeat. "Really."

"Really!" Saya decided not to get a seat for herself and just claimed her husband's lap. "I mean, gratuitous sex aside, Jiraiya is actually a pretty decent writer."

Shiki and Hiashi rolled their eyes.

"It's porn with plot!" Saya declared happily. Then she dropped her voice as if she wanted to share a secret. "And it was quite educational too. I actually learned some pretty interesting things……"

"………I'm not getting a decent rest tonight, am I?" Shiki whined.

"Nope!"

"Figures."

Hiashi chuckled and looked back at his daughter, only for his expression to fade into a frown. The married couple followed his eyes. Hinata, having fallen prey to exhaustion and heat, lay on the grass, breathing heavily and clutching the soil with her small fists.

Saya sighed and jumped off her "seat," approaching the fallen girl with a fast gait and a stern expression.

"So, how's it going?"

"……not………yet…………"

Saya rolled her eyes. "Girl, I've been training you for almost four years. I've taught you all the _**Karyuu **_you can learn without Fire Manipulation. Your speed; top notch, and it will get even better as you grow up. Dexterity, reflexes, coordination, agility, flexibility; all those things you've obviously improved. You could beat any of your classmates, heck, **any **Academy student (_…except maybe that cousin of yours Hiashi mentioned……_) and maybe even most Genin! Naruto wouldn't stand a chance against you as he is right now."

Hinata's drowsy mind and exhausted body reacted to the name. _Naruto-kun……_

"If it's standard Taijutsu, I cannot teach you anything more. I've been waiting for you to figure out how to mold elemental-natured chakra, but you've disappointed me. Heck, I even took pity on you and taught you the basics of _**Houraisan no Doryuu **_just to teach you anything!"

"Naruto figured out Wind chakra in two months. If what Naruto told me is true, Uchiha Sasuke figured out Fire chakra in less than a week. I never asked you to be like them. All Uchihas find it ridiculously easy to use Fire-nature chakra, and Naruto's just………it's like the wind loves him or something. His normal chakra control sucks, but his control of wind chakra makes me look like a fucking civilian. Suna shinobi will just hate him, I'm sure of it."

The lack of further reaction from Hinata almost angered Saya. However, she did know just what buttons to push. She had let Hinata try to work things out on her own. It hadn't worked. Now Saya would **make **Hinata work things out, the hard way.

"Damn it, Hinata, I'm not asking you to figure out a **second **element! I know **that **takes time. Every day, before going to the Academy, Naruto leaves two clones to work on Lightning manipulation, and he's no closer to getting it than he was three years ago! But this is **FIRE**, Hinata! Your natural element! And you've been training **every single day for almost four years**."

"You've reached the limit of my patience, Hyuuga Hinata." Saya turned her back to the fallen girl. "Leave now and do not come tomorrow. I'm done teaching you. I have no time for useless students."

Saya walked a few steps and went straight for the kill.

"My son has no need for weak companions."

Hinata's body stiffened. She could hear Saya's steps as she walked away. Dismissing her.

**Discarding her**.

Just like everyone else.

Everyone but Naruto-kun.

"No………"

Saya stopped. "Excuse me?"

"_I……I want to be strong……I want otou-sama to be proud of me. I don't want to be sad all the time."_

"No……" Hinata hissed as she struggled to get up, channeling chakra to her arms and legs for a little extra push.

"_You and I……we want the same things, Hina-chan……"_

"You** will** train me, Saya-sensei……" Loose bangs of bluish black hair covered Hinata's pale eyes. Her clothes were a mess and her skin was stained with dirt mixed with sweat.

"……really." Saya sighed in obvious boredom.

_I promised……I swore……I would become strong. I'll protect Naruto-kun. I must become strong!!!_

"I **will** become strong!!!" Hinata screamed desperately as she rushed towards Saya. The Taijutsu Goddess rolled her eyes.

With a chakra-aided burst of speed, Hinata struck with her fingers of her right hand; a _**Jyuuken **_strike. Saya effortlessly leaned to her left to dodge it. Hinata hadn't finished her first strike when she clenched her left fist and aimed right below Saya's sternum. The older woman had to move a step back. Hinata stopped her punch half way and turned it into an elbow thrust, and Saya corrected her evasive maneuver by leaning a bit to the right, but Hinata immediately followed up by quickly raising her forearm in an attempt to hit Saya with her left fist's knuckles. Saya's reflexes made it so that Hinata only grazed her right cheek instead of smashing her lips.

Hinata turned clockwise to strike at Saya's right ankle with her right heel, but Saya was more preoccupied about Hinata's right hand and the _**Jyuuken **_strike aimed at her liver. She hadn't even noticed Hinata activating _**Byakugan**_. The Lady Houraisan moved her right leg away from Hinata's strike and her right hand swatted Hinata's offending fingers away before they could reach her. Never interrupting her spin, Hinata charged both hands with chakra and began a sequence of high-speed wide hand swipes which Saya promptly dodged and parried.

"Your daughter is fast, Hiashi. That was a flawless execution of_** Ryoutotsugeki**_"

Hiashi didn't respond. His superior eyes didn't lose any detail of the unusual bout between master and student.

Deciding that enough was enough, Saya decided to go on the offensive. She applied a bit more strength to her parries to push away Hinata's arms, disrupt her sequence and create an opening. She tried a right palm thrust to Hinata's face, but the Hyuuga heiress surprised her by bending her body backwards.

At a speed that mesmerized even Saya, Hinata struck her sensei's offending forearm with the tip of a finger. Saya winced at the familiar sensation of being struck by _**Jyuuken**_. She knew Hinata was unable to seal the individual _**Tenketsu**_, but that didn't make it any less damaging……and damn painful.

"Nice." Shiki commented matter-of-factly.

Hiashi remained silent.

Using the same hand that struck Saya, Hinata grabbed her master's forearm and, at the same time she raised her upper body, lifted her right leg for a roundhouse kick. The motion pulled Saya towards Hinata, and the Taijutsu Master had to block the kick with her left arm. Hinata quickly dropped her leg to regain stability. Saya felt herself being pulled towards Hinata one last time before the small girl let go of her arm. The pull bent Saya's body so that she was almost at eye level with Hinata. Saya took noticed of the clenched left fist, but she also noticed the right hand that aimed a _**Jyuuken **_strike to her forehead. Saya ducked, and she knew she had done exactly what Hinata had wanted her to do.

Shiki couldn't notice; his eyes are not as perceptive. He just knew; she was his wife, after all. He could read her better than anyone. Hiashi, on the other side, did notice. In the instant before Hinata unleashed her attack, Saya switched to "Goddess of Taijutsu" mode.

"_**KONGOUKEN!!!**_"

Hiashi, decades of Hyuuga instruction aside, couldn't hide his surprise. Was it his age catching up to him, or his **little daughter**'s fist had created a shockwave?

Hinata's frenzy was somehow abated with the release of the powerful Diamond Fist, the precursor to Tsunade's legendary super strength technique. She was a bit confused. She had expected to hit Saya's chest and send her flying a few dozen yards, but her mighty fist only hit air. Where was Saya anyway?

Hiashi had barely been able to notice Saya's sudden hyper-speed movement, ducking Hinata's fist and slithering behind his daughter. Hinata didn't have a chance. Even with _**Byakugan**_, her reaction speed still wasn't good enough.

"Kyah!?" Hinata cried when she felt her feet being swept away. The next thing she saw was Saya's left heel being dropped on her chest with the force of a sledgehammer.

Shiki winced and Hiashi frowned after Hinata's cry of pain reached their ears. Even with her sight obscured by her tears, Hinata could see Saya looking down at her fallen form.

"That was pointless. You just pissed me off, Hinata. Now get lost."

Hinata's right hand clutching her heel prevented Saya from walking away. Saya was about to resort to a tirade of insults before kicking the girl away, but she couldn't.

Two voids.

Two voids looked up at her.

Hinata's widened eyes; the empty, lifeless expression on her face; the aura of emptiness and desolation that the girl irradiated scared the hell out of the Taijutsu Goddess. No child should have been able to project such emotions.

But Hinata was no ordinary child. She was a girl drowning in the sea of her fears and insecurities.

"_Let's become strong. Together."_ Naruto's smile, encouraging her.

_Naruto-kun………_

"_My son has no need for weak companions." _Discarding her, like everyone else.

_If I am weak……Naruto-kun won't need me………_

"_We will fight and we'll see who the best ninja is, Naruto-kun! It's a date!" _That girl, Tenten. She and Naruto had many things in common.

_If I am weak……Naruto-kun will have no use for me………_

"_Naruto-nii-chan, you're the best!" _Naruto loves Hanabi's smile. This troubles Hinata, for she knows she'll never be able to smile like that.

_If I stay weak……Naruto-kun won't want me………_

"………_I don't like you." _Naruto broke her heart. Turned it into shambles, and then reformed it, stronger and happier than ever.

For that, she was his.

_Stronger……must become stronger……stronger……stronger……__**stronger!!!!**_

"Stronger." Hinata whispered. In a flash, she was on her two feet, attacking Saya with a low sweeping kick. Saya took a few steps backwards; instinct and shock saved her this time. It also gave Hinata the time she needed to properly stand up.

"_Let's become strong. Together."_

"Stronger."

Saya gasped. Hinata's speed had suddenly increased!

The heiress jumped for a high knee kick to Saya's face, which the taller woman blocked with both hands. Hinata, still in midair, used** the same leg** for a second attack, retracting it before making a horizontal sweep which Saya had to block with both arms. Saya had to push the offending leg with one arm while she used the other one to block a second knee kick to her stomach, this time with the other leg.

"_Together."_

"Stronger." Hinata repeated like a mantra. With both feet back on the ground, Hinata crouched down like a stalking cat before pouncing with a chakra-infused right palm strike. Saya dodged to her left and Hinata immediately followed with a wide swipe using the same chakra-infused arm. Saya moved backwards and Hinata went after her with a left kick to the side of her face, which she blocked with her right arm. Not wasting an instant, Hinata slammed both hands on the ground, using them to support her body so that she could make a powerful 270-degress right heel kick. Saya ducked, and she felt the pull of the vacuum created by the chakra expelled by Hinata's foot.

_She's never moved like this before! How did she get this fast!?_

"Body Activation." Shiki answered Saya's unasked question.

"What?" Hiashi inquired.

"Your daughter has gotten as close a person can get to open the Celestial Gates without actually opening them."

"_Together."_

"Stronger."

Ignoring the chill she got by looking at Hinata's hollow pupils, Saya stood up between Hinata's spread-open legs, to which the small girl replied by attempting a scissor kick. Saya jumped over Hinata's body and made an ample spin to gather angular momentum for a powerful heel drop. However, Hinata, who was still using her arms to support the weight of her body, applied more strength to her upper limbs to spin her body away from the incoming attack. Grass and dirt exploded a foot to Hinata's right.

"Hiashi, you must be familiar with the idea of humans accomplishing unusual and extraordinary feats when under extreme stress or when their lives or the lives of significant others are in dire threat. Very few are able to summon that kind of power willingly. I wonder what has triggered it in Hinata-chan……"

Hinata once again dropped her body in a way reminiscent of a stalking predator, before attempting –and succeeding– to knock Saya off-balance with a sweeping kick. While Hinata lunged at the falling body of her opponent for a disabling _**Jyuuken **_strike, Saya copied Hinata's actions from a while ago and used her right arm to stop her fall and support her body. Hinata ducked the first backwards roundhouse kick, but she couldn't react in time when Saya suddenly changed the direction of her upside-down spin and slammed her right foot under Hinata's chin, sending her rolling several yards away.

"That's enough, Hinata."

"_Together."_

"Stronger." Hinata repeated one more time as she stood up, apparently unfazed by the hit, despite the swelling rapidly forming under her left cheek and the line of blood trickling down a corner of her mouth.

_Strong enough for Naruto-kun………the strong person I want to become……stronger, stronger, __**stronger!!!**_

Hinata smiled gently. It was the demure, elegant smile of a Hyuuga lady.

Combined with the far-away look on her white eyes, it made for quite the unsettling sight.

"……stronger."

With another explosion of speed, Hinata resumed the assault. A rapid high jump left kick was blocked, but Hinata quickly pulled away and fell back on both hands and feet. Saya made an ample circular motion with both arms to the same side. Hiashi and Hinata would have made nothing of it if they didn't have _**Byakugan **_active (and Hiashi had seen a similar kata before). They saw the chakra gathering and swirling in between the two arms.

Had Naruto been there, he would have seen the air currents following Saya's wind-nature chakra and feeding from it to gain strength.

"_**Furyuushou!!!**_"

The powerful gale knocked Hinata away until her back crashed with a tree. Possessed by strength and will she didn't know she had, Hinata didn't let her body falter. However, a 'thunk' sound caught her attention. A kunai had pinned her pants to the trunk. The time it took her to pull out the projectile was the time it took Saya to close in on her and slam her knee in her gut.

Hiashi stood in alarm at the sound of the agonic cry released by his daughter, soon hampered by the lack of air in her lungs. Shiki narrowed his eyes.

"Don't fuck with me, Hinata, I said that's en-"

"Stronger."

Supporting her hands on the thigh connected to the knee buried in her gut, Hinata propelled herself upwards in a gracious flip over Saya. The older woman growled and turned to hit Hinata on her way back down, but the girl had already turned her body around to face her sensei and attack with a wide left kick. Saya's combat instincts kicked in and screamed a frighteningly clear "**DUCK!!!**"

Saya gasped when the air over her head **exploded**. Her head vibrated and she lost her sense of hearing for an instant. The distinct smell of burning wood reached her nostrils.

_That……that kick was loaded with Fire chakra!_

In an instant, Saya's disgust faded to be replaced with surprise and a pinch of pride. "Hinata, you did it-"

Hinata's left hand clasped Saya's raised right hand (the hand she had intended to use to attack Hinata a moment before) and slammed it on the tree trunk behind her. When Hinata raised her right hand and the few wisps of sunlight that made it through the tree ocean of Training Area 69 shone on the gleaming metal of the kunai she held, the three adults felt authentic fear. Saya, Hiashi and Shiki froze in shock and disbelief. No amount of hardened training and shinobi experience prepared them for something like **that**.

"HINATA!!!" Saya cried, more of a plea than anything else.

"……stronger."

It was Saya's turn to scream when Hinata impaled the weapon on her own hand, nailing both herself and her sensei to the tree.

Ignoring the tears forming in her eyes, Saya looked down at the shorter girl. Hinata, with bloodshot, teary eyes and gritted teeth, was already poised to strike with her free hand, ignoring the intense pain she was feeling and the pulsating throb of the self-inflicted wound. Saya didn't have _**Byakugan**_, but she could feel that Hiashi could see: Hinata's right palm was charged with Fire-nature chakra to the saturation point.

"Hinata……" Saya pleaded again, but the girl showed no reaction.

There was no turning back for Hinata. In her mind, in her eyes, Saya had disappeared. The one in front of her was **the enemy**. **The enemy** stood in the way of her path to strength. **The enemy** stood between her and her Naruto-kun. **The enemy** wanted to keep her away from her Naruto-kun. **The enemy** wanted to step on her dream, crush her joy, destroy her happiness.

**The enemy** was in the way of their promise.

"_Let's become strong. Together."_

**The enemy had to disappear**.

* * *

"Ne, Hana-chan." 

"Hmm?" Very naked six-years-old Hyuuga Hanabi uttered. With eyes closed, she allowed Naruto to rinse her hair.

"We are supposed to be training." Naruto winced. A bit of shampoo almost got in his right "eye."

Hanabi pouted. "We play now. We train after dinner, Naruto-nii-chan."

"But I came earlier so that we could finish earlier!"

"Mou, Naruto-kun!" A voice from behind alerted Naruto an instant before a pair of breasts literally engulfed his head from behind. "It's always training, training, training with you! Relax a bit!"

The other ladies at the hot springs giggled as they watched the trio. Naruto looked up at the owner of said breasts, seventeen-year-old Hyuuga Mayumi, an unusually……bouncy member of the "Greatest of Konoha's Great Clans."

In more than one way.

"But, Mayumi-chaaaaaan……." Naruto whined.

"But nothing! Now be quiet, wash Hanabi-sama's hair and let me rinse yours!"

"Haaaaai."

"Really, Naruto-kun, your hair has such a lovely color……you have to let me take care of it properly!"

"Haaaaaaaaaai."

"And you have to be nice to Hanabi-sama. She doesn't have any friends other than you, so she cares for you very very much. Right, Hanabi-sama? You like Naruto-kun a lot, ne?"

"Yup!"

"Haaaaaaaaaaai." Naruto repeated in a droning tone.

"And if you behave, maybe I'll let you wash **my** body……" Mayumi added; her voice laced with a mischievous tone.

Naruto stopped massaging Hanabi's scalp (much to her chagrin) and turned to look at Mayumi face to face, tilting his head to the side as he did so.

"How is that a prize?"

The other ladies chuckled amongst themselves. Had it been any other male, Mayumi would have probably pounded him multiple times. However……

"Kyaaa, you're so cute!!!"

A second later, an angry Hanabi was struggling to pull out a Naruto who was struggling to breath with his face buried in a pair of F-cups.

* * *

Saya blinked. 

"What is it?"

The woman looked at her husband, who had voiced the question. Ahead of them, Hiashi carried his unconscious daughter to Naruto's room.

"Ah, nothing, nothing……they're tingling."

"Tingling?"

Saya smirked and tapped a side of her head. "Perverted senses."

Shiki rolled his eyes. "Oh."

Saya's smile promptly disappeared. She had been seriously afraid back there. If Hiashi hadn't arrived in time to knock Hinata out with a precise pressure point strike, she would have taken quite the blow. It would have been severely threatening, if not outright lethal.

The three adults shared the same question in their minds.

"I will take my leave now." Hiashi declared after gently placing his daughter on the bed Naruto normally sleeps in. "She should wake up soon. I'll leave my guard around; they will escort her back home."

Shiki followed Hiashi to the entrance, leaving Saya alone with her student.

"Hiashi."

The clan leader stopped and turned to face the young-looking man under the doorframe.

"What are you thinking?"

If there was something Shiki admired about Hiashi, it was the way he had honed the art of concealing his emotions to utmost perfection.

"………I'm thinking………I might not know my daughter as well as I originally thought."

Those were his departing words. Shiki chose not to go back to the room. He guessed Saya could use some alone time with her student. And maybe he would be able to work on that theory for sealing magnetic fields that seemed to elude him………

At about the same time, Hinata woke up with a moan. The first thing she thought as she lifted her body to a sitting position was that if she was going to have to deal with that killer headache, she'd rather stay asleep.

"Hinata."

The girl skipped a beat. As soon as she heard the voice and realized she had just woken up from unconsciousness, she remembered everything.

Saya is no kunoichi. She has no training on reading other people's faces. Her skill in that respect is the product of plenty of years of experience. Besides, reading Hinata's emotions wasn't much of a challenge at all.

The girl was shaking and refused to lift her head and face her mentor.

"You really scared me back there."

It might have felt like an ordinary comment to the ignorant, but Hinata could trace the hint of venom in Saya's melodious tone. Tears formed in her eyes and she clutched the cloth of her dirty and mangled training clothes.

"I'm sorry-"

"Don't fuck with me, Hinata."

Hinata only shivered, still unwilling to look up. Saya hastily closed the door, ensuring the females' privacy. She walked over to the edge of the bed, looking down at the girl with harsh, fierce eyes. No healing smile there.

"You were fighting to kill. You were aiming to kill. You were trying to kill me there, Hinata." Saya consciously opted to omit the rest of her thoughts.

_And, fuck damn it, you almost succeeded._

"I'm sorry…I……I……" The girl found it hard to shape words between sobs. Besides, she wasn't really sure of what she wanted to say.

"Why?"

"Eh?" The confusion was enough to make Hinata look up.

"Why did you fight me like that?"

Saya wasn't interested in asking "how." She could tell not even Hinata herself knew how she managed to move like that. She wanted to know why: why Hinata fought with such reckless abandon, such disregard for her own safety……such intent to kill.

Hinata clenched her fists and a phantom pain on her left hand struck her. That's when she remembered she had stabbed it through with a kunai to get to Saya's hand. It had been properly bandaged, and it didn't hurt as much as she would have expected it to.

"I healed it……" Saya explained after noticing the way Hinata had inclined her head suggesting she was examining her injured hand. "……a little. You just tried to kill me, so you can't really expect much kindness from me."

"Ah, I'm so-"

"Oh, knock it off! Besides, it's not like I can be too nice to my student. I have a reputation to maintain. Wouldn't want Himeko to rise from the grave and claim I'm playing favorite, would we?

Hinata blinked. "Wha……what?"

"What what? Ah, right, your mother. Sorry about the bad joke."

Hinata blinked. Wasn't Saya mad at her? "Are you……are we……?"

"You know, I cannot understand you if you keep using fragments of sentences."

"Aren't you………aren't you mad at me?"

Saya chuckled before sitting down on the bed, in front of Hinata. "Girl, when you reach my age……not that you will ever, mind you, but anyway – when you reach my age it's hard to stay angry for long. You either shrug it off or just beat the bastard to death and get it over with."

Hinata shuddered.

"Since, out of respect to your mother whom I loved, I cannot beat you to death, I guess I'll just flush out of my system in some other way. Like sex. Lots and lots of sex. That always works." She winked and grinned at the ten-year-old.

Hinata grimaced. For a second there she had actually believed her sensei was going to engage in a deep, serious conversation with her. She should have known. Of course, the initial chagrin at her sensei's lack of, well, formal conversational skills quickly changed into sheer embarrassment when Hinata replayed Saya's words in her head.

"Besides, crazy as it might sound, it's not the first time I've had a little girl going psycho and trying to kill me."

Hinata's blushed faded a little. "……really?"

"Yeah. Funny story, actually; remind me to tell you one of these days."_Especially because it involves ice cream, sake, used panties and the Hachibi. Sweet Kami, I've had one hell of a crazy life!_

"Anyway, Hinata, this little scuffle has shown us that you have the fire within you. Now you have to figure out how to draw it out."

"Fi-Fire? Wha……what do you mean, sensei?"

It was Saya's turn to blink. "………you didn't notice."

"Eh?"

Saya slapped her palm on her forehead. "Fire chakra! You used it and you didn't even notice! Why the hell do you think I keep saying you almost kill me back there!? Because of your amazing, godly _**Jyuuken**_ strikes of **DOOM**!?"

Hinata tilted her head cutely. She was utterly lost.

"OF COURSE NOT!!!" Saya yelled, exasperated, making Hinata release a tiny "Kyaa!" and inch backwards. "Your _**Jyuuken **_SUCKS! It sucks almost as much as Anko after a night hitting the bars!"

Hinata went beet red at that. She was already familiar with the concept of fellatio, after all.

Not that she would tell anyone that she had been secretly reading Saya's smut. After the initial shock, Hinata found the stories quite……amusing to say the least. By the time her tutor at the Hyuuga Compound approached her for "the talk," she was pretty much acquainted with anything the stern Hyuuga female could tell her. In fact, she would say those were the two most boring hours of her life.

On the other side, she was glad her father left the job of her sexual education to a tutor. The idea of her sire talking to her about sex was just terrifying.

On a side note, Hinata couldn't help but wonder about this "Anko" person.

"Girl, your attacks were loaded with so much fire chakra I'm surprised you didn't blow off your own limbs. Tomorrow I'm going to pound you until you figure out how to do whatever you did today."

The Hyuuga heiress shuddered. "Can we somehow skip the pounding?"

Saya smirked evilly. "Consider it payback for today."

"Auuu……"

"Now, since we're both a bit too roughed up to go back to training, why don't you help me with dinner? I have no idea when Naruto will come back home today, though……"

How was Saya supposed to know that somehow, as a consequence of Hanabi's whims, Naruto would end up staying for the night at the Hyuuga Compound?

What she knew, though, was the effect that single sentence would have on Hinata. In an instant, color returned to her face, her back straightened and her expression softened.

"Yes." Hinata stated before getting off the bed as if she hadn't been involved in a terrible battle just a while ago. Saya would later joke that Hinata didn't need a sealed _**Bijuu**_ to obtain unnatural regeneration. "Naruto-kun will be hungry."

The gears in Saya's head worked quickly. It was already a natural thought process for her. Turning her back to Hinata so as to hide her devious smirk, the Taijutsu Mistress spoke.

"Yes, and he will be tired after a long training session with Hanabi-chan. Tired, hot and sweaty."

Hinata froze. "H-Ho-Ho-H-H-Hot? H-Hot……" Her voice gradually dropped to something barely above a whisper. "……and sweaty?"

"Yup. Have I told you Naruto has this habit of walking around shirtless inside the house?"

"Sh-**Shirtless!?**" The young Hyuuga squeaked as her cheeks challenged the laws of physics in their attempt to develop a new shade of crimson. "Sweaty and shirtless?"

"Yup." Saya repeated. "A towel hung around his neck, droplets of sweat trickling down his **naked** torso, tracing the lines of shapely muscles forged with years of physical conditioning……"

"Oh my." Hinata muttered. She was almost hyperventilating. "Oh my……"

"So, after a big meal, he will feel like taking a long bath, so he might say something like………"

Saya knew she needn't say more. Hinata's smut-tainted mind was filling the rest.

"_Hina-chan, would you please wash my back?"_

The Hinata in Hinata's mind was surprisingly bolder than the original._"Only if I get to wash the front too, Naruto-kun."_

The Naruto in Hinata's mind was just……weird. _"Nuh-uh! Bad Hinata! Did you already forget?"_

"_Ah! I-I'm terribly sorry………Naruto-sama……"_

"_Yup! Much better! Saa, let's go!"_

"_Umm, ano……do I get the front?"_

Curiously, the Naruto in Hinata's mind was sometimes more innocent than the original, despite Hinata's mindset.

"_Sure! We can wash each other, even!"_

Saya nodded to herself and smiled in satisfaction when she heard the lovely sound of an unconscious body hitting her wooden floor. Looking down at Hinata's sprawled form, sporting a grin that would make Jiraiya proud, Saya wiped off a tear off her right eye.

"My purpose in life is fulfilled."

"Na-Naruto-kun, we can wash each other at the same time………" Hinata mumbled to the Naruto in her inappropriate fantasy.

* * *

Tenten finished fixing up her hair in her already-standard pair of buns, checking her reflection on the mirror to ensure they were properly shaped. 

"Alright, now, equipment……"

Two pairs of leg holsters, one on each leg and four scrolls around her waist made for Tenten's "standard" equipment. While she knew it would still be a while before her team got a C-mission (Gai-sensei was quite resolute in this regard), she had already prepared what she called her "field" equipment.

Lots and lots of scrolls.

Naruto's little introduction to storage seals inspired her. By the time she reached her last year and the Academy touched the subject, she was as skilled as her teacher, if not better. When she realized that making arrays was far easier when they were made to store large amounts of one single kind of thing, she hit the jackpot. She was already capable of making 16-by-16 arrays of kunai only.

It helped a lot that, whenever she hit a roadblock in her self-teaching she could always seek Naruto for aid. The boy, she had noticed, seemed to enjoy helping her, answering her questions, offering hints and proposing challenges and possible other ways to tackle a particular problem.

"_You seem to like __**Fuuinjutsu**__ a lot, don't you, Naruto?"_ She had asked him once. Naruto "looked up" at her with a beaming grin, never ceasing to trace symbols on a large scroll. Since his _**Senrigan **_allows him to see in every direction, he had no problem "looking" at Tenten and working on the array at the same time.

"_Houraisan Uzumaki Naruto loves challenges! And there's nothing like the satisfaction of a working matrix!"_

Yes, Naruto enjoyed _**Fuuinjutsu**_……no matter how many foul curses he muttered while he worked on a seal. Needless to say, Shiki was giddy. And Tenten wouldn't say it out loud, but Naruto looked kinda cute when he was all focused on his project work……and stuff. Unlike Tenten, who only cared about storage seals for her many weapons, Naruto was eager to learn **everything **there was to be learned about sealing techniques.

"_And then I'll learn the __**badass **__Houraisan sealing techniques, damn right!!!"_

Naruto taught her seals. In exchange, Tenten taught him how to throw weapons.

Well, she tried.

He wasn't really that bad. He just wasn't good, either. While he was more precise that any other blind person could hope to be, it still wasn't enough for shinobi standards. She hoped the kid wouldn't stop practicing, even if she wouldn't be able to help him anymore.

She reached for the symbol of her affiliation to the ninja ranks of Konoha, not taking her eyes off the object next to it. Even while she wrapped the headband around her forehead, she was more interested in the single dark blue fingerless glove.

"_I'm sorry!!! I-I wanted to make a bigger array, but I had no idea it would be so difficult to put an intrinsic array in a glove! I tried so hard, but I just couldn't expand the matrix in time………I'm so very sorry!!!"_

The anguish in Naruto's tone touched Tenten……and confused her. Why did he get so agitated over a glove? Only when on her bed, late at night, after her long, wonderful and surprisingly loud tenth birthday party, did Tenten figure it out.

Naruto was desperate. His troubled mind told him that screwing up might cost him her friendship. He had failed and he thought Tenten would hate him for that.

Tenten caressed the glove affectionately. _As if I were that shallow, Naruto._

Theirs was a strange friendship. They belonged to different groups, so they had no friends in common. Then again, she didn't really have any friends in her age group. She wasn't precisely a loner; she hung out with all the girls in her class just fine, she just wasn't really close to anyone. She was too tomboyish to truly be "one of the gals," and she was too feminine to stick around the guys. She didn't really mind her situation, though. She didn't talk to any of Naruto's friends, either. In fact, she wasn't really sure Naruto had any other friends. She guessed there was the Uchiha survivor……and that's it. Naruto, like her, seemed to have an amiable yet distant relationship with his classmates. Tenten did notice the Hyuuga girl shooting odd glances at her more than once. If her suspicions were correct and Neji's relative had a crush on Naruto, well……that was amusing, to say the least. The fact that the Hyuuga girl was jealous of her and Naruto was just hilarious.

She donned the glove on her right hand. She had sworn to herself she wouldn't wear it until she became a kunoichi. She fulfilled that promise three days before. She immediately made another one.

No hand seals were necessary. An instantaneous flux of chakra to her right hand unsealed a single kunai, which Tenten seized with the same hand and clutched fiercely.

She had sworn that, as long as she remained a kunoichi (or as long as the glove fitted her), she would wear that glove every day.

Naruto had offered to improve the 1-by-1 matrix several times, but Tenten had refused, much to Naruto's chagrin and Tenten's amusement at his openly displayed emotions (for an eye-less person, that is). She couldn't care less about the size of the array, or the fact that the glove could only store a single item no larger than a kunai.

She loved that glove. She loved it because it was a true gift. Naruto's appreciation and admiration were embedded on that single article of clothing.

She loved it because it was a gift from a true friend.

Resealing the kunai back inside the invisible array within the glove (Naruto called it an **intrinsic matrix**; she definitely had to ask him to teach her how to do that), Tenten nodded to herself and left her room.

It was her first day as a Genin of Konoha.

* * *

"Nee, Shiki-sensei." Naruto whined before releasing a particularly loud yawn. Even if he didn't have eyes, the muscles in that area were still connected to his mediums, so he still felt the awkwardness and heaviness in his head normally associated with sleepiness. He even rubbed his closed eyelids for good measure. 

Shiki didn't interrupt his fast pace, which forced Naruto to hurry if he wanted to keep up with him as they crossed the practically deserted streets of Konoha. A corner of his _**Senrigan**_'s all-around perception caught the glimpse of the thermal signature of an ANBU checking on them from the top of a two-story building before dashing away.

"Yes?"

"Where are we going so early in the morning?"

"So impatient you are, boy……"

"But I could barely wash my face! And I'm hungry! And I left my Pocky box at home!"

Shiki didn't say another word, so Naruto had no other choice but follow and "see" what happened. Five minutes later, their destination was clear to him. Another minute later, they were climbing up the stairs of the Hokage's Tower.

"What are we doing here, sensei?"

"……you are already eleven years old, Naruto. You are about to begin your last year at the Academy."

"Yup."

"These past three years I've regularly tested you to make sure you didn't forget everything I taught you in the year and a half before you entered the Academy, and you haven't disappointed me. In fact, I've been pleased to see you have made further progress on your own. I'm already used to seeing your Kage Bunshin busy at my library."

"Heheh……yeah……" Naruto grinned at his sensei's acknowledgement of his brilliant idea. "It took a while to be able to keep the clones at home while I am at school, you know? I wonder if I should try to extend their range……it could be useful……" Naruto quickly composed himself before he started making plans for even **more **forms of training. "…but you haven't answered my question!"

"True, I haven't."

"You performance in my examinations isn't precisely perfect, but it's definitely within my parameters of quality. In other words, you are an excellent student. If I didn't know what you are trying to do at the Academy, I'd be more worried about your quarterly reports."

"Hey, you're the one who always talks about deception and stuff. Just like Hinata is pretending to be the same shy, dark weirdo she was four years ago, I can pretend to be the pitiful blind student. The teachers make it easy anyway. Besides, I couldn't pass the written tests even if I wanted to; I can't read the stupid small print."

Shiki nodded. Naruto's inability to read small characters was definitely his greatest liability. The teachers couldn't be blamed of being unfair because it was the print size they had always used. They could be blamed, though, for purposely using small characters on the blackboard, but complaining would be a waste of time. Of course, he had had to stop Saya for trying to enforce her threats on Iruka.

"That doesn't explain why you perform so poorly with thrown weapons."

"They don't let me use _**Tesabaki**_!"

"You have to learn to throw shuriken and kunai with your hands, Naruto. Tenten-chan won't be happy."

"It's not like she can help me anymore, now that she's a Genin."

Shiki hid the faint hint of a smile. Was that disappointment he had detected in Naruto's voice?

They had stopped. Naruto could tell they were just meters away from the door leading to the Hokage's office. Two Chuunin guarding the entrance were obviously looking at them, even if Naruto couldn't see their mildly curious expressions.

"Besides that, your notes on Taijutsu are average……"

"Well, it's just those boring Academy katas. If I used _**Yokazeryuu**_ I'd wipe the floor with everyone……except Hina-chan, of course……and the bastard. He's actually pretty damn good."

"Genjutsu is your worst subject."

"How could I possibly make an illusion if I can't even see reality!?"

"……touché. But what about Ninjutsu, then? The last report says you still have problems with _**Bunshin **_and _**Henge**_."

"Who needs _**Bunshin **_and _**Henge **_when I've mastered the power of The Log!? Now that I think about it, scratch the bastard: with _**Yokazeryuu **_and The Log he's no match for me."

"First, it's called _**Kawarimi**_. Second, you really have to work on those jutsu."

"I know! I just can't get a grasp how to channel the chakra!"

Shiki nodded. "Well, you still have one year."

Naruto was an interesting case. For reasons that have been well documented, his chakra control still remained below average standards. However, for some reason, this only applied to raw chakra. For some reason, it was as if Kyuubi's and the Fourth's seal's presence didn't have any influence on Naruto's skill with nature manipulation. His ability to shape and channel wind-nature chakra was simply astounding. Shiki guessed the Body Circuit had something to do with it, but it just wasn't enough to explain Naruto's nigh unmatched ability to command the wind. He guessed it was just Naruto's natural talent, just like the deceased Uchihas found Fire jutsu particularly easy to learn, just like Hyuuga Himeko had been born with an unnatural ability to understand and master Taijutsu techniques or just like he had a natural ability with numbers and equations which helped him become the seal master he was.

"In any case, the reason we're here is quite simple, actually. I have decided that your performance in my tests merits that I try more……advanced methods to test your skills."

"……so this is another exam."

"Yes."

"On a Sunday."

"Yes."

"Before sunrise."

"Yes."

"A **surprise **exam."

"Yes."

"I hate you."

"I, too, value our teacher/student relationship, Naruto." Shiki concluded before walking the few steps that separated them from the door, Naruto close behind.

"Hokage-sama is waiting for you, Houraisan-sama." One of the Chuunin declared before opening the door for the two. Shiki acknowledged the two guards with a nod and walked inside the room, where, indeed, the wrinkled Third Hokage received them on his ample chair, a warm cup of tea in his hands.

"Shiki, Naruto."

"Hokage-sama."

"Yo, old man!"

Sarutobi smiled. It made him immensely happy that, despite everything, Naruto was still able to be enthusiastic and joyful like that. He was really thankful to his caretakers. However……

"Shiki, are you sure about this?"

"Very. Be at ease, Sarutobi, he'll do a fine job."

Naruto was smart enough to put two and two together……to a point. "So, what I'm going to do……"

"You will be working here today, Naruto."

"I'm going to help the old man!?"

Sarutobi's eyes narrowed a bit. It would help if Naruto didn't call him old all the time……

"No, Naruto. The 'old man'……" Sarutobi shot daggers at Shiki. Naruto calling him that was one thing, Shiki calling him old was the epitome of hypocrisy. "…here will be helping you."

Shiki felt a strange form of wicked pleasure at the sight of Naruto's frowning face.

"……you'll be Hokage for a day, boy."

* * *

It was a Sunday. It was the slowest day of the week, which was the reason Shiki purposely picked that day for Naruto's test. Naruto wouldn't have to deal with the workload of an ordinary day, but that wouldn't make matters any easier. The leader of Clan Houraisan had departed already. Naruto was supposed to work with the assistance of Sarutobi only, and it would be Sarutobi who reported to Shiki about Naruto's performance. 

That's why the aged Hokage had taken a seat a yard to Naruto's left, so that he had enough desk space to put his drink tea and his dango as well as watch Naruto, who had claimed most of the horizontal surface. Shiki had insisted that Sarutobi's intervention had to be minimal, but the Third remained alert nonetheless. After all, he was leaving the village in charge of an eleven-year-old.

They had been in the middle of a thrift breakfast when the first pile of paperwork was brought by a civilian archivist, one of the first persons who arrived to work on the Hokage Tower, at the same time the permanent guard made their usual shift from night staff to day staff. Naruto's first action of the day was quite the surprise.

"_**Tajuu Kage Bunshin no Jutsu**_!!!"

With the instruction of "doing whatever needs to be done," the horde of Naruto clones scattered all over the tower, much to the Third Hokage's chagrin. After all, he couldn't keep an eye on each one of them. He could only hope the damage would be repairable.

At least, that's what he first thought. Naruto quickly faced the first (and greatest) obstacle.

"Ugh! Small print! My mortal enemy……gramps! Read this for me!"

That's when the second surprise of the day surfaced. Naruto was surprisingly methodical. He refused to fill out any paper without first learning everything he could about the relevant subject so that he could make a decision. Besides asking Sarutobi for whatever he could share, Naruto created a small squad of clones strictly dedicated to getting info from the archives for him. While most of the time it was a waste of time and Naruto ended up stamping the paper anyway, it showed Sarutobi that the boy actually took the job seriously and, most importantly, **he actually had an idea of what he was doing**.

The old Hokage knew that some of the information Naruto was dealing with was a bit delicate, he guessed it wasn't really much of a problem if Naruto read one or two for-the-Hokage-only reports.

What harm could be done, anyway?

Sarutobi decided he had to ask the boy about his interesting laboring protocol when Naruto remained silent for a minute before stamping a paper that approved an increase on the volume of imports of fish and seafood in general from River Country.

"Well, it's spring, right? Shiki-sensei taught me in Economy class that sea fish migrate south around this time, so they don't catch many fish at Wave, Water, Sea and Tea Countries in these months. River actually farms both fresh and salt water fish, so they always have fish to sell. It's obvious that it's more convenient to buy fish from River, at least for this season. Seriously, why don't the other countries do what River does……I guess the weather might have something to do………alright!"

The Hokage watched in utter befuddlement how Naruto created yet another clone for the sole purpose of asking Shiki about aquaculture (of course, Naruto called it "fish farming"). When he asked the boy why he wanted to know more, he got another interesting answer.

"Knowledge is power! It's the first thing Shiki-sensei taught me! I don't really know if I'll ever **need** to know about fishes, but knowing stuff never hurts, right?"

With that, Naruto went back to the next document ("ANBU Demolition Corps!? WHAT THE HELL!? And they use big kanji!!!"), leaving an astonished Sarutobi to ponder on what he was learning about the young heir of Houraisan.

_Kami, Shiki, what have you been teaching him!?_

* * *

"Okay, gramps, who are these Demolition Corps guys, why the hell do they spend so much money, and why in the name of all flavors of ramen I haven't met them yet!?" 

"As the name says, they are a small division of ANBU that handles the planning and execution of missions that involve the tearing-down of massive structures. I think the budget claims we've read together show quite clearly why they take a sizeable portion of our budget……"

"You **pay **them to make things go boom!!! They expend LOTS of money on **explosive **materials!!! That's, like, the **best job EVER**!!!! Seriously, I have to meet these guys."

"I do not think the world is prepared for such a meeting."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean no, you're not getting anywhere close to the Demolition Corps."

"Crap……hey, how do you get into ANBU, anyway?"

Sarutobi actually looked afraid. "Kami help us all, you **do **want to join the Demolition Corps……" A quick glance at the wall clock gave the Third the perfect chance to change the topic. "Oh, it's almost time. Put aside those papers, Naruto."

"What? Why?"

"It's almost time for the mission assignments. All shinobi who are not on leave or in mission will come to get the mission assignment and briefing."

Indeed, it wasn't a minute later when two civilian workers from the Missions Office, wearing the long (and quite impractical) robes of office, arrived with a large stack of scrolls each. They paused for a second at the sight of the blond kid with the orange bandana around his eyes, but decided not to ask. They were used to witnessing all sorts of unbelievable things. The fact that they had just met with six identical copies of the same boy in the Missions Office shouldn't be really that surprising.

It didn't take two minutes to organize the two stacks into four, according to mission rank (which was quickly explained to Naruto as they did so). It was rather easy, considering that the D-Rank stack was significantly larger than the other three. After that, it was mostly a matter of waiting. Naruto used the time to deal with even more papers from the ANBU Demolitions Corps. Sarutobi watched with mild amusement (and notable interest) how Naruto eagerly and surprisingly efficiently (for an eleven-tear-old) dealt with the documents while muttering things like "Ali…alipa…aliphatic nitramines? Sensei didn't teach me that……must be some sort of advanced stuff or something……" or "Heheheh, nitric acid……"

Of course, there was a limit to what Naruto could do. There were some matters that were simply beyond his understanding. Things only the Hokage would understand. Of course, Sarutobi wouldn't be able to get those matters done before thoroughly explaining to Naruto the bulk of them.

Naruto's thirst for knowledge was insatiable.

* * *

It had taken Sarutobi a while to find Naruto. Actually, he had only thought of going to that place after sweeping the whole tower looking for him. While Naruto's apparent disappearance had drilled through his nerves, his forages while looking for the young heir of Houraisan allowed him to see the full extent of Naruto's work. 

For the first time since……well, since ever, there was only one person working at the Missions Office: the place where all mission reports end up and where mission requests first arrive before being delivered to the Hokage and whoever else is in charge of assigning them to a shinobi team. Apparently, half a dozen of Naruto's _**Kage Bunshin**_ had reorganized the entire archive by rank and date, as well as created a separate archive for those missions whose payment was still pending. The lone civilian girl who remained (who had told the Hokage that she had spent the entire day helping Naruto by reading for him) told him with a huge smile on her face that everyone else was gone because, for the first time ever, the week's (not the day's, the **week's**) work was done before sunset.

She also asked him when the "cute whisker boy" would show up to help with their work again. He guessed it was a good thing she was too young to know about Naruto and the Kyuubi.

Naruto was standing with is arms crossed at the very top of the Hokage Tower. If he hadn't known of Naruto's blindness, he would have guessed Naruto was looking at the vast landscape of the Village Hidden in the Leaves. It was a windy evening, and the breeze played with Naruto's clothes. The long and wide sleeves of his cheongsam swung wildly by his sides. The lower edges of the cheongsam also flailed a little to the right, following the wind's direction. The sunset light played tricks with his spiky blond hair. For an instant, Sarutobi had a nostalgic flashback of another blond watching the same scenery with a fatherly gaze.

The musings of times past and Hokages lost was abruptly interrupted by Naruto's voice.

"It's a beautiful village, isn't it, old man?"

Sarutobi frowned. It was a worrisome tone of voice; particularly serious, especially for Naruto of all people. He struggled with his loose Hokage robes as the wind attacked them with special ferocity, but, eventually, he made it to Naruto's side. He had removed his bandana, but it was obvious that the lifeless mediums he carried instead of eyes were looking at nowhere.

"I……I don't really remember much of Konoha……how it looks like, I mean. What I remember isn't really special. I only cared about this place, Ichiraku Ramen and maybe the Library and the Academy, just because they're big and easy to spot."

"It's the town I live in, and I have no idea how it looks like. It's pathetic."

"Naruto, don't-"

"Don't. Whatever you want to say, don't bother."

Sarutobi shed a sad look for Naruto, secretly glad that the boy wouldn't be able to see it. He guessed he shouldn't be surprised that even Naruto could have moments like those.

"Maybe one day I'll be able to extend _**Senrigan **_from here and feel all of Konoha……maybe not. I don't care much, really. At least I can actually see something."

Sarutobi guessed he had already praised Naruto's _**Senrigan **_plenty enough. It was quite the jutsu, after all, and it was the reason Naruto could notice the Hokage's presence in the rooftop on the first place.

"Ne, old man."

"What is it, Naruto?"

"Do you think a blind guy could make it to Hokage?"

Sarutobi blinked. "Do……you want to be Hokage, Naruto?"

Naruto didn't respond. He let his arms rest on the rail, leaning his body forward and dropping his eyelids to quietly enjoy the evening breeze.

"Show me the village."

"……excuse me?"

"Show me what you see from here. Please."

The old Hokage's eyes softened. That young blond never ceased to catch him off guard. But he did indulge him. For the next twenty minutes, Sarutobi would point at places and tell Naruto about what he could see in that direction. Of course, he first told Naruto of the Hokage Monument and the austere looks of the four faces carved in the rock. He showed Naruto the different districts and the lands of every single clan. He mentioned the forests of the Nara Clan at the far northeast, the vast expanses of cleared land seized by the Inuzuka, the elegant noble houses and gardens of the Hyuuga, the single three-level gray and ochre residence of Sarutobi and his family, the clustered city-within-a-city that once housed the ambitious Uchiha Clan and, of course, the sea of trees that concealed the Houraisan Clan buildings, among others. He described the shopping district, which was notoriously empty that day (understandable, being the last day of the week and all). He showed him the main public park, a vast blanket of greenery within the dull tones of civilization, and the low-class residential district where Naruto's old apartment building was located.

Throughout the whole discourse, Naruto remained silent. Sarutobi could only guess what was in the mind of the young boy who could see nothing but shapes and thermal readings. No matter how much Sarutobi explained, Naruto would never be able to see it, only imagine it. Konoha…no, the whole world, was nothing to him but a mirage, a reality with a hazy meaning.

It was hard to just think about it, so the Third Hokage decided to change the topic.

"How was your day as Hokage, Naruto?"

Naruto raised an eyebrow. His lips contorted into a strange smile. Maybe it was a grateful smile.

"You kidding me? This town is one huge mess! Your ninjas are too lazy to fill out a decent report, may it be a mission report or even their taxes. Speaking of taxes, some civilians are paying way more than they should and some businesses are trying to play smartass with their tax forms. And either the Nidaime Hokage was a complete moron or a secretary made a stupid mistake, because according to some contract I read, Marsh Country is milking us for all it's worth. There are also buildings that supposedly belong to dead people, buildings that shouldn't be where they are and buildings that shouldn't even exist! There are some reports from Kusa that you probably never read; there's this widow who lost her husband and older son when Kyuubi attacked and has never received her monthly indemnization……don't worry, already took care of that. Oh, and you still haven't done a thing with the Uchiha District! Seriously, all that land is being wasted. What the hell are you thinking!?"

Sarutobi had the decency to look a bit ashamed. He knew he should have done something about the empty district a while ago. He just forgot.

"So, what do you think we should do, Naruto?"

"I have some ideas. Remind me to tell you later." Naruto smirked. "But, really, do you even know what is going on in your village?"

"I can't keep track of everything, Naruto. That's why I have others to help with all the obligations a ruler must deal with."

"Yeah, and who makes sure they do the job right?"

Naruto looked away from the Hokage and turned his face back to the scenario of Konoha's sunset.

"You know, today……today I had a lot of fun."

Sarutobi chuckled. "That makes you the first person I know who enjoys paperwork."

"Not the paperwork, silly! Paperwork sucks……that's why I had my _**Kage Bunshin **_do it."

Sarutobi blinked. "Now why have I never thought of that?"

Naruto chuckled. "Idiot. The mission assignments were pretty cool, even if D-Rank missions suck. I almost feel sorry for Ten-chan and Lee. Not for Neji: he's an asshole."

Indeed, Naruto had the opportunity to meet Team Gai (they were actually Team 4, but the name didn't last 24 hours). Unfortunately (or fortunately, who knows?), Naruto's blindness impeded him from witnessing the complete Maito Gai experience. Actually, the Jounin's loud and enthusiastic attitude actually made a positive impression on the blond. On the other side, Neji and Naruto are not in the best terms ever since the conversation between the replacement Hokage and Team Gai somehow lead to Naruto stating that Hiashi "is a nice guy."

Sarutobi didn't comment on this. Given his connection to the Hyuuga, it was a matter of time before Naruto found out about the conflictive structure of the first Great Clan of Konoha.

The boy's expression softened as he turned back to "look" at the village clad in shades of orange under the sunset.

"I meant, the feeling……the feeling of being doing something truly good, something really important. The fact that I knew I was working to help Konoha, that the things I did would help make it a better place, the feeling of being in charge……it was nice."

"That's why I've decided I want to be Hokage."

Sarutobi blinked. Now **that **he didn't expect. "……Hokage?"

Naruto nodded. "I'm not stupid, you know. Sensei thinks I haven't figured it out. Politics, Economy, Logistics, Strategy……sensei is not preparing me to be a shinobi. He is been preparing me to be a Kage………or a Feudal Lord, if you think about it."

The Third smiled knowingly. Seriously, sometimes, Naruto's intelligence astounded him.

"I think……I would love Konoha the way you do if I didn't have so many bad memories. But, even with those bad memories, all the things and the people that mean something to me are here. That's why I just can't hate Konoha, either."

"I just wanted to be a kickass ninja that nobody would look down to. I wanted to be respected and acknowledged. But now……now I feel I want more."

"I'm here, and I believe Konoha needs me. It needs me to do what I did today every day. If Shiki-sensei wants me to be the next Hokage, then a damn fine Hokage I will be. He has taught me so much; I will not let him down. I will make him and Saya-kaa-chan proud. I know I can do the job, damn it, I like doing the job! I want to do the job, and Kami knows I **will** do the job."

Naruto looked up at him, and the old Hokage was struck by a memory. That determined expression; that face which showed absolute certainty, he had seen it before. Even Naruto's mediums seemed to glow with the force of his unyielding and unwavering spirit.

In that moment, Sarutobi **knew**. He just **knew **what Naruto already believed with absolute certainty. The boy's words were just an unnecessary confirmation.

"I will become strong, respected and acknowledged. Everyone in Konoha will know that they **need **me. And then, I will become Hokage. That is my dream."

* * *

_**Phantasmagoria of Dichromatic Eyes **_**– END**


	12. Prologue: Legacy of the Golden Wind

"_The soul of a shinobi village is its children. They are our roots and our seeds. They are the embodiment of our hopes and the source of our happiness. It is an obvious conclusion that the formation of the next generations of shinobi and kunoichi should be a matter of critical importance for any Hidden Village."_

_­Extracted from "Discourse on Shinobi Education and Training," by Houraisan Naruto._

* * *

**Prologue**

**Legacy of the Golden Wind – Marisa**

* * *

"Reimu!!! Oi, Reimu!!! REIMUUUUU!!!!! DAMN IT, REIMU, DON'T IGNORE ME!!!!"

Noticing that her loud calls were drawing the attention of everyone on the street, the young girl chuckled nervously. She slid a hand through her long, curly blond hair; a habit she would never be able to get rid of.

"Heheh, sorry……"

Most people just smiled, shook their heads and went on their ways. The girl sprinted forward (she's very proud of her running speed), towards the Ninja Academy and towards the long-haired figure in the distance. A few yards before reaching her, she bent her knees and leapt above the girl clad in white, making a perfect somersault and landing on two feet in front of her; a feat of acrobatics that would make most circus performers jealous.

"Perfect landing! Damn, I'm awesome!" The girl's expression quickly changed to a strange combination of glare and pout as she turned to face the other girl. "Reeeeeimuuuuuuu………"

A pair of eyelids blinked over a pair of clear, pupil-less white eyes. Reimu tilted her head slightly to the side and her lips hinted slight amusement.

"……Marisa." She might as well have been reading the shopping list with the tone she used.

"Marisa." The blond eleven-years-old girl repeated in her best imitation of Reimu's matter-of-factly tone. "Damn it, you piss me off, Reimu."

"Is that so."

Marisa rolled her big, bright cerulean eyes. "Would it hurt to be nice and smile every once in a while? Seriously, sometimes I wonder why we're friends."

"I've been wondering the same thing since I have memory."

Marisa ignored the taller ("By an inch, damn it!") girl and smacked her right fist on the palm of her left hand. "Ah, right! Because I like you so much!!!"

Reimu got stiff as a rock in the middle of the street. That is, if rocks could turn beet red. "Wha-wha-what did you say!?" She squeaked.

"Well, it's common sense, right?" Marisa shrugged. "I like you, so I want to be your friend. Now move or we'll be late!!!"

"Ah…ah! Eh!? Wa-wait!!! Marisa!!!!"

The distance between the two didn't allow Reimu to notice the smirk on Marisa's face as she trotted ahead of her friend.

_Such a tsundere, so cute!_

* * *

Once they shifted back to walking, the two best friends engaged in idle conversation. 

"……new clothes, Marisa?"

Marisa watched how her friend eyed the white-trimmed cape with trigram markings over a plain blue vest and long dress. The cape only went halfway down her back and it was fastened to her neck by an orange ribbon. The blue vest had white sleeves and buttons. Both the vest and the lower end of her dress carried the familiar emblem of the Houraisan Clan. A plain gray backpack hung from her right shoulder.

"Yup!" The perkier girl nodded enthusiastically. "Papa had it made for me. I don't like cheongsams that much, so……but!" Marisa gave Reimu an once-over. "I see you're wearing your emo dress."

"……it's not emo."

"Oh, come on, it's all white! What are you supposed to be, the ghost of a dead miko or something? A _**yuki-onna**_?"

"…………it's not emo." Reimu repeated.

"Sure it isn't. Oh well, it does look good on you. But isn't it kind of impractical, wearing all white? I mean, it gets awfully dirty."

Indeed, Reimu's outfit consisted basically on a plain, flowing white dress with long, wide sleeves. Even the many trims around the sleeves, neck and skirt were white ribbons. In addition, she wore a peculiarly large white ribbon on her head. Her long black hair was fixed in two twin tails on the sides and a long mane that reached her mid-section. Save for the longer hair, Reimu was in general words the splitting image of her mother at her age.

The most perverted among the male population of Konoha were already placing bets on whether Reimu would inherit her mother's……assets.

She didn't seem to carry any books or anything else with her, but Marisa knew better.

"……I can have it washed."

Marisa groaned. "Slave driver. You know, just because you're the heiress doesn't mean you can do whatever you want."

"Look how's talking, Miss Daddy's Little Girl……"

Marisa had the decency to blush. "I-I-I-I'm **not**!!!"

Reimu stopped.

"_**Henge**_."

A poof of smoke later, there were two Marisas. Reimu-Marisa clasped her hands together and made the most saccharine facial expression known to man.

"Papa, give me a hug! Papa, you're sooooo cool!!! Papa, will you help me with my homework? Pleaaaaaaaase………"

The other people on the street were enjoying the spectacle and chuckling at the astoundingly (and frighteningly) accurate imitation. Marisa was getting redder and redder by the second.

"Papa, you're always so busy, play with me!!!! Papa, when are you going to teach me jutsu? Papa, I love you-love you-love you-**THIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIS**……" Reimu opened her arms as wide as she could. "**THIIIIIIIIIS** MUCH!!!!!"

The crowd went into a bout of laughter followed by boisterous clapping. Reimu poofed back to her real form and bowed elegantly to her audience. Unfortunately for her, she didn't see the blushing Marisa she expected. At some point the Houraisan girl had regained her bearings. If her smirk was any indication, Reimu was in trouble.

"Not bad. Now I'll show **my **_**Henge**_!!!"

Reimu raised an eyebrow. "You can't use _**Henge**_ yet. The only reason you passed Ninjutsu 2 is because you can use _**Kage Bunshin**_."

"Wanna bet? _**Henge**_!!!"

A rather large cloud of smoke covered a sizeable portion of the street, forcing most of the people watching to cover their noses and close their eyes. Soon enough they got a damn good reason to open them again, though.

"Nee……Reimuuu……" A sultry voice echoed all over the street. Part whine, part whisper, part purr, it called for the girl clad in white. Reimu and everyone else opened their eyes, to be welcomed by something way unlike anything they expected Marisa to pull off.

The most private portions of her curvaceous anatomy covered by nothing but appropriately place wisps of smoke, what could only be described as an older and a-bazillion-times sexier version of Houraisan Marisa stood in front of Reimu, her body slightly bent in a sexy pose. Her blonde hair had grown, too, cascading down her back like a golden waterfall that splashed down on the end of her back. Her big, round blue eyes were the epitome of dangerous innocence. Her pouting face made her pink lips look glossier, **tastier**.

And she spoke again.

"Do you think I look……cute?" With batting of eyelashes for added effect.

The streets of Konoha were painted red as dozens of males fainted simultaneously, blood spraying out of their nostrils like geysers of unbridled perversion.

Another poof of smoke signaled Marisa's turning back to normal. Men were unconscious. Women raised an eyebrow and shot half-angry, half-amused looks at her. Children were just confused, but most found the massive nosebleeding funny as hell.

"HA!" Marisa smirked triumphantly. "How's that!? I call it _**Oiroke no Jutsu**_!!! It's the bane of all non-gay men!!! What do you think, Reimu………Reimu?"

Marisa looked down, only to find the unconscious, nosebleeding form of Hyuuga Reimu.

"WHAT THE HELL!? WHY YOU, TOO, REIMU!?"

* * *

Several tissues; many minutes of silent walking and a few seconds of uncomfortable silence later, the two friends arrived to the Academy and took their seats next to each other. Marisa shot an uneasy look at her best friend, who had remained awfully silent (and awfully red) the whole way after her little _**Oiroke**_ prank. 

"Nee, Rei-"

"Marisa."

"Ye-yes!?"

Reimu, still looking down, spoke in a dangerously low tone. "You……you haven't shown that……" She shuddered. "…jutsu…to Hokage-sama, right?"

The blond girl blinked. "……now that you mention it, no, I haven't! I really should-"

"NO!!!"

Reimu's sudden bout of loudness startled Marisa and the other children in the classroom. "Never. Show. **That**. To Hokage-sama. Understood?"

"But-"

"**Never**!!!"

"Why?"

"**NEVER**!!!"

"Bu-"

"**Marisa**!!!"

"Uhh……okay?"

"Swear on the honor of your clan."

Marisa sweatdropped. "I……I swear, on my honor as heiress of Clan Houraisan, that I will never show Papa my _**Oiroke no Jutsu**_."

In her mind, Marisa was smirking. _She didn't say anything about variations. I wonder how Papa will react to __**Harem no Jutsu**_

"Or any variations!!!"

_Damn it, she reads me like an open book! _"Auuu……or any variations of it. Happy?"

Reimu released a long sigh. "Relieved would be more appropriate. Now, we'll forget this ever happened, alright?"

"Sure. I'll just make sure to remind you in the most inappropriate moments."

"Marisa……" Reimu groaned and Marisa grinned in a way identical to her father's. "Ugh, just……just forget it."

* * *

An explanation is due right now. The thing is; the Academy Reimu and Marisa normally attend to isn't the same Academy that has been used for decades. As a direct consequence of the extreme makeover of Konoha's educational system instigated by the Rokudaime Hokage the moment he took office, based on his groundbreaking "Discourse on Shinobi Education and Training," the old Academy building was replaced by a huge complex of buildings that took a sizable portion of what used to be the Uchiha District. The new Konoha Academy was a grand and quite ambitious project, built and made operational in a record time of four years. The first generation of graduates from the new Academy had just recently emerged, so it was still too early to judge the effectiveness of the changes. However, it was obvious that the new educational system of Konoha was appealing to many, as even experienced and seasoned ninja had chosen to go back to the classroom to take some of the most advanced courses. 

In any case, a few days earlier, all students that were about to enter their penultimate year of ninja instruction were informed that, for their first day, they had to present themselves at the old Academy building. They were also told to fill a certain paper form.

After a random teacher showed up for a moment to tell the students to remain in their seats and wait, Marisa decided she needed to do something other than looking out the window. They didn't know it, but Marisa and Reimu had claimed the exact same seats Uchiha Sasuke and Houraisan Uzumaki Naruto had used so many years before, respectively.

"Nee, Reimu, which path did you take anyway?"

The new Konoha Academy unified civilian and shinobi education. All children entered at age 4 for five years of primary education. After those five years, those who wouldn't take the path of the shinobi continued their normal education for ten more years. Shinobi aspirants had it a lot tougher. After all, Konohagakure, like any other Hidden Village, is in constant demand of more trained ninjas. Shinobi training lasts only four more years, in which the younglings are pushed to the max. The new curriculum designed by the Sixth Hokage is far more complete, but it is also far more demanding, to ensure that the new Genin leave the Academy much better prepared than those who were educated with the original system.

The four years of shinobi training consist of two years of compulsory courses plus two years of compulsory and elective courses. The electives are divided in four paths: _**Taijutsu**_, _**Genjutsu**_,_** Ninjutsu**_ and _**Fuuinjutsu**_. Picking a path only means that the student will take more electives from that specific group; nothing stops the student from taking courses from other paths. There are additional elective courses in Physical, Biological & Medical Sciences, for those who aspire to become medic-nin (or members of the Demolition Corps), as well as electives in specific shinobi roles such as Espionage or Sabotage, and more general skills and branches of knowledge such as Politics, Economics or Communication Skills.

"_**Fuuinjutsu**_." Reimu declared.

"What? Why?"

"……it is relevant to my interests. You?"

Marisa grinned. "_**Fuuinjutsu**_."

Reimu frowned. "……oh really?"

"Yeah really. I mean, duh! I'm a Houraisan!"

"Marisa……are you really sure about that? _**Fuuinjutsu**_……it is tough."

Marisa frowned. "I can take anything they throw at me."

"You barely passed Introduction to _**Fuuinjutsu**_ last term."

Marisa scoffed. "That's in the past." She patted Reimu's shoulder rather harshly. "Don't worry, don't worry! There's nothing Houraisan Marisa can't do!!!"

"…………you didn't pick _**Fuuinjutsu**_ just so you could have Hokage-sama as sensei next term, did you?"

"Of course not!!!"

Reimu lifted an eyebrow.

"……I mean, not just for that reason……"

"Marisa……"

"Oh, just leave me alone!" The blond looked a bit miffed, which unsettled the raven-haired girl.

Reimu sighed. "Marisa, you're not precisely the best student……"

"You mean I'm not like you, Miss Top Student of the Year, the oh-so-great Hyuuga genius?"

"Marisa, that's not what I-"

"I get it. You think I'm an idiot."

"Of course not!!!" Reimu looked around, nervous, noticing that her little vocal outburst had drawn a bit too much attention. She dropped her tone to keep the conversation private. "I……I just……I just think _**Fuuinjutsu **_is not for you."

Marisa had looked away, avoiding Reimu's glance. This forced the taller girl to inch a bit closer in an attempt to oblige Marisa to take notice of her.

"Your notes aren't the best, Marisa, and I…I……" Reimu lowered her face so as to not show her faint blush. "…I worry about you."

When she tentatively looked up again, she was welcomed by Marisa's mischievous smirk. "What did you just say?"

Reimu's pale face made the reddening of her cheeks far more notorious. "No-no-nothing!" It was her turn to look away. "Nothing! I didn't say anything. Are you hearing voices now, dobe?"

Marisa narrowed her gaze. "Teme……"

After several seconds of Marisa staring at her best friend's back, she sighed. "Just……just don't worry. This is what I want to do. Besides, it would be fun if we take all the classes together, wouldn't it?"

Reimu got the time she needed to regain her usual cool composure, which allowed her to come up with an appropriate retort.

"I…guess you're better than anyone else, even if you're a useless idiot."

"Teme!!!"

"Hn."

* * *

"So." Marisa went for another topic. "Why did **you **take _**Fuuinjutsu**_, I wonder? Why didn't you take Taijutsu, anyway?" 

"…I already receive more than enough Taijutsu training at home, Marisa."

"Ah, good point. So, why seals? You……you aren't aiming for Papa, are you!? Because, if you are, let me tell you-"

"Oh, for Kami's sake, Marisa! That's just plain **wrong**!"

"Alright, sorry, sorry!" Marisa shrugged. "I guess that, since Papa likes you a lot and he's always so nice to you, maybe……"

"MARISA!!!"

"Okay, okay, I get it!" Marisa decided to change the topic before her best friend suffered a heart attack. "So, what courses did you pick? I mean, we only have two compulsories……"

"Combat Practice 2 and Introduction to Medical Methods 1."

"Yep, those two. So…?"

Reimu quietly revealed a paper strip with symbols inscribed on it, quickly unsealing a loose piece of paper and offering it to her friend, who promptly read it.

"Materials_** Fuuinjutsu**_, Math & Physics for Seal Designers, Management, Politics 1, Economy 1, Communication Skills and Advanced Stealth & Infiltration Techniques. Nine total?"

"It is not recommended to take more than nine courses per term." Reimu grabbed Marisa's form.

"Materials _**Fuuinjutsu**_, Math & Physics for Seal Designers, Biology & Chemistry for Seal Designers, Management, Politics 1, Economy 1, Sabotage 1, Chakra Control Exercises, Elemental Ninjutsu 1, Organic Chemistry 1, Cellular Biology and Biophysics……Marisa."

"Hmm?"

"You……are aware this is way too much, right?"

"Yup."

"Marisa!"

"Sheesh, you're too loud."

"Marisa, you cannot take so many courses!"

"Why not?"

"Be-Because! This is too much, even for me!"

"There you go. The world will finally know I'm way better than you."

"Marisa, you're taking **fourteen** courses!"

"I do know how to count, Reimu."

"I don't think there are enough hours in a week for 14 courses!"

"Reimu, I'm taking the courses, period."

"Mari-"

"I said 'period'."

Marisa ignored Reimu's forlorn look, so the Hyuuga girl put Marisa's form on her friend's side of the desk and clasped her hands together before putting them on her lap.

Another uncomfortable silence ensued until Marisa spoke again, two minutes and forty-six seconds later.

"……Reimu."

"……………"

"…thank you. For worrying. You're a good friend."

"Will you cancel some courses?"

"Hell no."

"………idiot."

"Oh, that's old news."

Reimu bit her lower lip. She couldn't fight against Marisa's kind smile or against her legendary stubbornness, both inherited from her father. She had absolutely no chance against the combined might of both.

Marisa's face suddenly lit up. "Oh, I almost forgot!"

Reimu immediately recognized the scroll Marisa took out of her backpack. "That is…!! Did you…?"

"Yup. The whole thing."

Her heart skipped a bit, and Reimu, blushing one more time, lowered her gaze to hide her nervousness. "Did……did you like it?"

Marisa grinned widely. "You kidding me!? It was **awesome**!!!"

For the first time that day, a real smile blossomed on Hyuuga Reimu's face. "Re-really?"

"Yeah! You're pretty good! And it's papa's biography, so it has to be awesome."

Reimu surprised everyone when she declared she was going to write a biography of Uzumaki Naruto. The Golden Wind God of Konoha just laughed and offered his best smile to the young girl.

"I'll be looking forward to it." He had said. Those words were enough incentive for the Hyuuga heiress. The first part of Reimu's epic tale covered Naruto's life until his last year in the Academy. This is what she gave to her best friend, asking her to read it and offer her opinion.

"There's just a little thing that bugs me." Marisa stated.

"Eh? What is it?"

"The title."

"What's wrong with the title?"

"Are you kidding me, Reimu!? How many people do you think know what the words 'Phantasmagoria' and 'Dichromatic' mean?"

"Phantasmagoria……a changing scene made up of many elements. It's an obvious reference to the many sudden and rapid changes in Hokage-sama's life since his seventh birthday. Dichromatic means having two colors, just like his mediums."

Marisa gaped. "………you're not funny at all, Reimu."

"It's not supposed to be funny."

Marisa slammed her left hand on her forehead. "Just……just, oh, whatever. Forget I said anything."

"Good. Now…" Reimu unsealed another scroll. "Here's the next one."

Marisa's face lit up. "You already wrote the next one!? Damn, Reimu, you rule!"

The Hyuuga heiress beamed.

Marisa eagerly unfurled the scroll and directed her eyes towards the title.

"Fantasia of Apotropaic Esoterica………now this is just pure evil, Reimu."

Reimu only smirked.

* * *

**Coming Soon:**

_**Naruto Fuujinroku**_

**First Chronicle: **_**Fantasia of Apotropaic Esoterica**_

**Chapter One**


	13. Crossroads of Heaven & Earth

"Temari."

The fourteen-years-old girl stiffened. Cautiously, she turned to look at her youngest brother. "Ye-Yes, Gaa-"

She couldn't finish. What she saw utterly stunned her, mostly because it was hard to believe Gaara of the Desert would be interested in old photo albums.

"This woman. Who is she?"

Temari hesitated for an instant before approaching her sibling to look over his shoulder. She guessed it was okay to get close if he was asking her a question.

The picture her red-haired brother was looking at was a particularly old one, one from before Gaara was even born. At least a dozen Jounin of Sunagakure posed for the camera, all of them smiling and generally content. The well-known elder siblings of Suna, Chiyo and Ebizou, appeared in the picture wearing weak smiles. The Yondaime Kazekage and his wife, Gaara's and Temari's parents, stood on the center, looking the happiest and the proudest. A two-year-old Temari shyly peeked out of behind her mother's legs, and the Kazekage held a baby in his arms. Her swollen belly showed that Temari's mother was with child.

However, neither of them was the one Gaara was pointing at.

The woman Gaara was interested in starkly contrasted with every other person in the picture. Her softer, rounder features were different from the rough, squared features of most Wind Country natives. Her pale skin also differentiated her from the others. Even more so than her appearance, her colorful cheongsam, the wide grin on her face as she gently patted Gaara's mother's swollen belly and her overall youthful attitude made a strong contrast with everyone else in the picture.

Temari frowned.

"Ah……I……think I remember that girl……I think she was a friend of mother……and Kazekage-sama………I don't think she's from around here, though. Don't remember her name………"

"……I see……"

A spike of killing intent reminded Temari that she was standing next to an extremely dangerous person. She winced at the tinge of pain in her chest. It hurt so much, to fear her brother so.

"Ah! Ga-Gaara, I……I really had to go now……is……is that okay?"

The_** Jinchuuriki**_ ignored her. He was confused. If this……girl……was supposed to be an acquaintance of Mother, why was Mother asking for her blood?

* * *

Cats. 

Cats everywhere.

Prancing around, scratching tree bark, sleeping on branches, chasing insects or just meowing for no apparent reason. The feline cacophony was drawing the Raikage insane. It looked like every single cat on the Elemental Countries had decided to stop by that day.

_No wonder she requested a residence outside Kumo's walls. And no wonder the children call her "the crazy cat lady." Well, as long as she doesn't start spouting nonsense and flinging cats at people……_

"Yugito!!!"

Wearing only white panties and a towel that barely covered her breasts, twenty-three-years-old Nii Yugito stepped out of her humble home; a retinue of cats following her, meowing and rubbing their bodies against her legs.

"Ugh……damn it, Ryo-chan, what do you want?"

Shigure Ryo twitched. She adored Yugito. They were best friends, after all. But she was the Godaime Raikage, damn it!

"I get no respect from you……"

Yugito closed her eyes and raised her arms over her head, stretching in a particularly feline fashion. "You're an idiot for expecting anything else."

"You might have the _**nekomata**_ but I can still kick your ass." Ryo absentmindedly pushed a playful cat away with her leg.

Yugito opened an eye and raised an eyebrow. "Is that a challenge, 'Raikage-sama'?"

Ryo bit her lower lip to keep her retort untold. Regaining her cool, the Raikage showed Yugito a smirk that unsettled the female _**Jinchuuriki**_.

"I was going to give you a week off to let you celebrate you newest accomplishment, but I suddenly feel like changing my mind. Put some clothes on, Yugito; I want you in my office in five minutes flat. Oh, and by the way, you're a Jounin now."

With a single-hand seal, the Lightning Shadow disappeared with a flash of, well, lightning, startling more than a few cats in the process. Yugito stared at the spot where her best friend had been standing before she used _**Rai Shunshin no Jutsu**_, until she finally digested Ryo's words.

"Wha-wait, WHAT THE HELL!? JOUNIN!? Ryo-chaaaan!!!!!!"

* * *

"Waaah……so big!!! So green!!!" 

The infant girl stared with wide eyes and open jaw as the steamboat approached the Port City of Fire Country. A few meters behind her, a tired woman in her late forties carefully watched the girl with a soft smile and undivided attention. Protecting that girl was her mission, and she intended to carry it out until she could pass it over to someone else……or until the girl accomplished her own mission.

"I wish Jiji and Kirara-nee-chan could see this……it's so pretty……"

The woman felt a tinge of pain in her chest at the girl's words. She bit her lip and struggled to keep the tears from coming out.

"……they are dead, aren't they? Minori-nee-chan."

Kirisame Minori dropped her head low. She didn't want the girl to see her cry. A few seconds later, she felt her black yukata being tugged. The six-year-old was looking up at her tear-stricken face with a sad expression.

"Yes……" Minori tried to offer the girl a smile, but failed miserably. "They are dead, Megumi-chan."

"Tayuya-nee-chan too?"

Minori closed her eyes. It hurt. It hurt so much. _Tayuya……_ "Yes. Tayuya too."

The girl, Megumi, looked down as if thinking about something, before looking back up. "Why? Why are those bad guys chasing us? Why did they kill everyone else?"

Minori sighed. It was a lot easier when Megumi was too young to understand the concept of death. Falling on her two knees, she grabbed Megumi's shoulders and looked straight at her steel blue-gray eyes. Her fiery red hair swayed by the fickle hand of the sea breeze played and entwined itself with Megumi's onyx hair.

"Because they destroyed our beautiful country, and they won't rest until the last one of us is dead."

Megumi blinked. "So we are going to die, too?"

"No!" Minori raised her tone, startling the little girl. "I won't let them find you. I won't let them touch you. You are our hope. Seigo-sama's dreams, Kirara's dreams, everyone's dreams have been placed in you. You are our treasure, Megumi-chan. I will protect you with my life."

Minori tightly hugged the girl, allowing her to release her sobs and tears on the black yukata.

"I promised your father I would protect you from any harm. Seigo-sama has given you a great power. One day, you will learn how to use that power; you will stop the bad people and restore our wonderful nation."

Megumi nodded. "Yes."

"Yes." Minori repeated. "Because you are Uzumaki Megumi, the last heiress of the proud Uzumaki Clan."

* * *

In a remote island northwest of Water Country, there is a mountain. Near the top of this mountain, there is a temple. The inhabitants of this temple live cloistered lives, having renounced to civilization itself, regarding it as decadent and unworthy. They live in solitude, as one big family of deranged zealots. They have studied all sorts of ancient scriptures, mistranslating them and twisting them shamelessly to fit their fanatical beliefs. They are intellectuals, yes, but of the worst kind. They are scribes, sages and warrior monks. Their bodies and minds have been honed to perfection……or at least, to their twisted definition of perfection. They train, because they believe the time for them to leave their secluded island and purify the wicked world is near, just like their parents, grandparents and dozens of generations before them believed. 

Of course, these insane savants worship a God. A Goddess, to be precise. Their Goddess is a symbol of wisdom and purity, the two things the corrupted outer world lacks. So, they lavish their Goddess with robes of the finest silk and a headpiece of pure gold studded with emeralds. They bow before her and tend to her every need.

Their Goddess is a five-years-old girl.

She has inherited her role from her mother, like it has been for generations. She is worshipped as a Goddess because her birth was, in lack of a better word, miraculous.

This girl has no father. She was not conceived through the act of procreation. In fact, her mother never engaged in sexual intercourse in her life. It was the same with the mother, the mother's mother, and countless other generations of females miraculously born.

Unfortunately for this girl, she never got to meet her mother, or her grandmother, or any of her direct relatives. Her mother died the day she was born, ritually sacrificed by the same monks who assisted her when giving birth to the girl. Whenever the current Goddess gives birth to a daughter (because it's always a girl), the monks kill her and make the newborn their new Goddess in a grotesque ritual in which the baby is bathed in her dead mother's blood. They have done so for a long time and will keep doing so until the time of purification arrives.

So, this girl has no family. She doesn't have a name, either. She's addressed by as many different titles as there are monks in that temple.

There is a third thing she doesn't have.

This girl doesn't have a voice.

Since the moment they realized the current incarnation of their deity was mute, the confused monks have spent countless hours trying to understand the meaning of this unusual circumstance. Meanwhile, the girl lives an empty live, surrounded by people who worship her, living in a world she doesn't understand.

Not for much longer, though. Because this temple is about to receive its first, and last, visitor in its entire history.

A blue-haired woman clad in a black cloak with motifs of red clouds.

* * *

"_Consider the hypothetical infinite bounded field of width _**a**_. Calculate the state function for the position of a hypothetical point object of mass M."_

The vessel of the mightiest of the Tailed Beasts grinned. _Hehe, piece of cake! _He proceeded to read the rest of the problem.

"_Suppose now that the particle in the infinite bounded field is unbounded for motion in the direction parallel to the boundaries. This kind of configuration is known as a __**Hypermatrix**__. The total energy of the particle is E. Assuming that the particle is contained in the second bound state of motion in the perpendicular direction; find the energy of the particle associated with its motion in the parallel direction."_

………_you have __**GOT**__ to be fucking kidding me._

* * *

_Daneel Rush Koushi presents:_

_**Naruto Fuujinroku**_

_**(鳴戸**__**風神録)**_

**First Chronicle: **_**Fantasia of Apotropaic Esoterica**_

**Chapter One**

_**Crossroads of Heaven & Earth – Year of Trials**_

* * *

From her seat a few meters away, Houraisan Saya grinned in response to Naruto's groan.

"If you have time to groan and complain you have time to finish the exam."

Naruto exploded. "This test is ridiculous! Shiki-sensei is evil, I tell you! **Evil**!!!"

"You have fifty-two minutes left."

Naruto groaned again. "You're evil, too, and you're just a shadow clone."

The Saya-clone flicked a piece of dirt off one of her nails. "I might be 'just' a shadow clone, but I can still kick your ass."

"Ugh……"

The month is January. Twelve-year-old Houraisan Uzumaki Naruto is just a few months away from becoming a Genin of Konoha. While he would have liked to make his adoptive parents proud and emerge as one of the top students, it was hard to do so when he was unable to pass any of the written exams. Fortunately, he always had good grades in pretty much everything else (except throwing practice), so he had no problem making it to the last year (much to the chagrin of many teachers). So, while neither Naruto nor his parents doubted he would be able to graduate from the Academy in less than three months, that didn't seem to be enough for Shiki and Saya.

It is well known that Naruto was thoroughly educated by his foster parents before and, to a lesser extent, during his school years. Therefore, they decided it was fair enough for them to also evaluate Naruto's comprehension of the knowledge they imparted to him before they could let him "abandon the nest" and forge his own path as a shinobi.

Therefore, while Naruto glided through his last year as an Academy student, he was also put through what he had deemed "The Houraisan Trials."

The year was almost over, and Naruto had already undergone most of the tests. Naruto had to admit, his parents deserved praise for originality.

The first test was Taijutsu. He was surprised when Saya told him his opponent would be none other than Uchiha Mikoto.

* * *

"_It's been a very long time since I sparred, Naruto-kun. Please be nice to me, ne?"_ _The ever-smiling Uchiha beauty said in her perfect and elegant tone._

* * *

Then she unleashed her three-tomoe _**Sharingan **_and proceeded to utterly and thoroughly beat the living shit out of him.

After the hundredth time he was sent to the ground, Saya declared the battle as over and walked over to his prone form.

* * *

"_That teaches you to never underestimate your opponent, Naruto. So, how did it feel, fighting the mighty __**Sharingan**__?"_

"_Ugh……must…kill……Sasuke……before he gets it………"_

* * *

Despite his humiliating defeat, Saya deemed his Taijutsu skills "well within the acceptable levels." This meaning "you're better than most of your classmates, but you still have a long way to go."

On a side note, Hinata was also tested. However, she did not fight Mikoto. She fought one of Shiki's _**shikigami**_, the _**nekomata**_ Shin, meeting the _**youkai**_ cats' anthropomorphic form for the same time, in fact. She, too, was defeated, but Shin's words better describe the events of that battle.

"_If she's going to go crazy like that when I beat her I'd rather let her defeat me on the first place."_

The second test was a multiple-choice Chemistry exam. Naruto got 101 correct answers out of 125, which elicited considerable praise from his sensei (and says a lot about the difficulty of the test).

"_I must apologize, Naruto. You have performed far beyond what I expected from you. I'm proud of you, boy."_

Naruto** loved **the third test……well, most of it.

The mission Saya gave him was to infiltrate the Hyuuga grounds at night and seize Hiashi's copy of Icha Icha Paradise from his studio (he just **knew **he'd get to blackmail the Hyuuga Leader with this one day). Needless to say, Hiashi was never informed of this little test.

For this test Naruto received the aid of an unlikely ally: Uchiha Sasuke. According to the test's rules, Sasuke could help him prepare the infiltration but he was not allowed to go with him. After an entire month of studying the Hyuuga's night guard and tracing tentative routes over a roughly-sketched map of the Hyuuga grounds and very loose estimates of the range of each guard's _**Byakugan**_, Naruto successfully (but far from easily) infiltrated the allied clan's territory and made it to Hiashi's office. However, he got awfully close to having an aneurism when he found out **the book wasn't there**. Dejected, he was about to return home empty-handed when he was caught by the last Hyuuga he would have expected.

* * *

"_Ha-Hana-chan!?"_

_It took a single blink for Hanabi's drowsiness to disappear completely. "Naruto-nii-mhmhhmh!!!!"_

"_Shh!!!!" Naruto hissed as he pressed a hand on Hanabi's mouth. "I can't let anyone find me!"_

After waiting for Hanabi to make a quick visit to the toilet (the reason she was up at such a late hour), quickly explaining his test to his friend and asking her if she had seen a book that fitted his description, Hanabi asked him to wait for her for a minute. Exactly one minute later, Hanabi returned with the dirty book in her tiny hands.

"_Wha……how……where did you find it!?"_

_Hanabi's smile turned impossibly cute. "Hinata-onee-chan's bedroom."_

Naruto pretended he didn't hear that.

Nevertheless, he passed the test. Unfortunately for him, Hanabi had already discovered the concepts of "trade" and "negotiation."

"_You certainly took your time." This was Saya's greeting. Naruto grumbled and handed over the orange book._

"_Had to wait until Hana-chan fell asleep."_

"_Hanabi-chan?"_

"_Long story." Zombie-Naruto uttered. It had taken everything he got to stop Hanabi from reading the dirty book. "Must sleep now. Have to wake up early tomorrow."_

_Saya raised an eyebrow. "How come? It's Sunday, isn't it?"_

"………_I'm Hana-chan's slave for a week."_

"_Oh………kinky."_

"_Shut. Up."_

* * *

The fourth test was his favorite so far: Chemistry Practical Test. He had to prepare an explosive compound, a poison and a medical concoction, all three randomly picked by Shiki. It was the longest day of Naruto's life, but he pulled all three of them successfully. It was fun to watch Shiki pulling his hair off with every single of Naruto's mishaps……and the subsequent explosion that followed them.

"_Damn it, can't you do the damn things __**without destroying my lab in the process**__!?"_

"……_nope!"_

* * *

The fifth test was a more difficult version of the good old "Hokage for a day."

"_You look awfully relaxed today, Saru." Shiki commented at the sight of the village leader loafing on a couch of unknown origin._

"_Well, it's not every Monday I can sit down and enjoy good tea and dango like this. I have to thank you for teaching him; he really is a God-sent."_

"_I see you even got him assistants this time."_

"_Actually, they offered themselves up for the job."_

"………_I wish I could say I'm surprised, but I'm not."_

"_Alright, let's do this." With a smile coated with confidence, Naruto began to give orders while standing under the doorframe of the Hokage's office. "Kuuki-chan, please issue a proper warning, make copies and have a courier post them around the village, then get me the list of available Genin and Chuunin. We need to do something about these defective storage scrolls, __**now**__."_

_Hyuuga Kuuki (twenty years old, 5'5'' tall, long black hair, body sizes 34-25-33) nodded eagerly and took note of Naruto's words. She had a faint rosy blush on her cheeks for some reason. _

_Naruto turned to the second girl: Hyuuga Sumi, Kuuki's identical twin, who was sporting an identical blush._

"_Sumi-chan, tell the envoy from the Demolition Corps that they can use Training Area 41 for their outdoors test. Make sure to tell them to __**stick to Training Area 41**__, for Kami's sake! We already spend enough on landscape restoration."_

"_Hai-hai, Naruto-sama!!!" The twins giddily exclaimed in one voice._

_Naruto blinked a few times as the twins……pranced away._

"……_did they just call me 'Naruto-sama', kissed me on both cheeks and giggled as they……bounced away?"_

_Sarutobi chuckled. Lucky brat. "My boy, I think they did."_

"_Kyaah!!!"_

_Naruto watched in alarm how the two girls stumbled and fell down the flight of stairs._

"_What the-!? Kuuki-chan! Sumi-chan!"_

_A small and familiar figure appeared out of a corner and looked down to the lower level, where the twins cried and groaned in pain after rolling all the way down._

"_Oh my, that was certainly dangerous." Hinata stated matter-of-factly. "You should really be more careful where you step. Kuuki-san, Sumi-san."_

_Turning to Naruto, she offered him her best smile. "Naruto-kun! What a delightful surprise!"_

* * *

Fortunately, the twins only got a few nasty bumps. Naruto made the mistake of visiting them at the Infirmary a while later. He almost didn't make it to a meeting with the spokesperson of the merchants because the girls didn't want to stop……smothering him with affection.

The sixth test was something completely new for him. Shiki came up with something he called a 'turn-based global-scale strategy simulation game'. He made a map, divided it in several countries and created complete statistics for each country. Each player took control of a country and the objective was to take over as much of the map as possible. Since it was rather boring (and unfair) to pit Naruto alone against Shiki, more people were invited to the simulated fray. Sasuke, Shin the _**nekomata**_, Hyuuga Hiashi and the Sandaime Hokage joined the game, as well as three teams of two: Nara Shikaku and his son Shikamaru, and the unexpected team-up of Mitarashi Anko and her best friend, the Chuunin Yuuhi Kurenai.

The third team wasn't really a team; Hanabi bugged Naruto until he agreed to let her "team up" with him. It is a good moment to remember Hanabi doesn't know squat about politics or military strategy.

Saya, Chen and Hinata distributed snacks and drinks around. Because of Hiashi's presence, Saya had to refrain from asking Hinata to put on a maid costume (she was sure the girl would have done it otherwise). Chen was more than willing to cosplay, on the other side.

Predictably enough, Sasuke was the first to fall: he immediately attacked Naruto, who had wisely spent his first turns cementing his political, economical and military stability, as well as establishing a secret alliance with "Team Anko" (_**Sasayaku Kaze no Jutsu **_helps a lot for this kind of thing). Everyone was surprised when Anko & Kurenai mobilized their troops to curb-stomp Sasuke's country together with Naruto.

With "the kid" (Sasuke shot daggers at Shikaku and Hiashi after being dismissed like that) gone, the game truly began. Sasuke watched quietly and learned.

Hanabi wouldn't stop asking questions.

Everyone concluded after that night that Naruto had the patience of a God to deal with that girl. The heir of Houraisan answered each and every single question to the best of his ability, always making sure Hanabi fully understood before moving on. Hanabi left that night knowing a lot about a topic she really had no reason to know at all. Sarutobi pondered the possibility of sending Naruto to teach at the Academy in the future. Shiki concluded that, even if Naruto performed poorly in the game, his theoretical knowledge of military science was fairly complete. Kurenai commented on just how close Naruto and Hanabi seemed to be and the sheer aura of cute they irradiated when together. Saya joked about Hanabi being the only female in the world capable of exhausting Naruto.

Hinata tripped and spilled a cup of tea on her father's head.

Anyway……the game continued on three main fronts. On one side, Sarutobi defended himself as best as he could against the combined intellects of the Nara father-son combination. On another side, Shin played a heroic defense, pitting herself against both Shiki and Hiashi (who weren't allies, fortunately). Finally, Naruto found himself in dire threat when Anko (despite Kurenai's hesitation) played the traitor card and went after Naruto's nation, not before seizing Sasuke's former nation's resources for herself. The situation changed when Naruto managed to claim some independent territories at the same time he kept Anko at bay. After making a silent agreement with Shin, Naruto directed his new troops not towards Anko, but towards Hiashi. With a devastating pincer move, Shin and Naruto eliminated the Hyuuga Clan Leader faster than he can say "_**Byakugan**_."

Hiashi raised an eyebrow when Hanabi cheered and celebrated his downfall.

Not much later, Sarutobi finally succumbed to the Nara team and surrendered. The shadow-users immediately went after their next target: Team Anko. The two ladies, weakened after failing to defeat Naruto, were quickly dispatched by the blatantly superior strategic geniuses.

With the temporary Naruto-Shin alliance disbanded after Shin swiftly and brutally claimed about half of Naruto's conquered territories in one brilliant sweep, the game became a cutthroat free-for-all. Naruto, acting surprisingly against his usual behavior, went for a strictly defensive policy, reinforcing his borders and taking a passive strategy which would turn out to be his downfall. Team Nara continued their also-unusually aggressive strategy and went all out against Shiki, in what all the present considered the most interesting point of the game. Shin acted with the same astounding efficiency she had shown so far, quickly seizing a small portion of foreign territory and using the extra resources to attack another player, effectively keeping all of them at bay while she gradually amassed resources.

Eventually, not even the Naras' combined IQ of over 350 could defeat Shiki's vastly superior knowledge of strategy. When Shiki began to claim the spoils, Naruto attacked, hoping to take him out when he was at his weakest. In that moment Shin ensured her victory. Since Shiki had to use all his resources to defend his nation against Naruto, he couldn't stop Shin from claiming the former Nara territories and used her newly gathered power to fall like a tidal wave on Naruto's nation, utterly obliterating him.

Shiki defended himself brilliantly, but it was a losing battle, and he eventually lost the war of attrition. In the end, Shin was the absolute victor.

"_And, once again, I show __**nekomata **__are the superior race."_

"_Hey, isn't that catnip Hina-chan's holding?"_

"_CATNIP! MINE!!!"_

"_Gyaaa!!!"_

_Anko chuckled at the sight of Shin assaulting Hinata for some inexistent catnip. "That was evil, Naruto, m'boy. Good job."_

"_Thank you."_

"_Now stop her." Shiki added. "It's getting kinda perverted."_

"_Whe-where are you touching, Shin-san!? There's nothing the-aaahhnn!!!"_

* * *

Currently, Naruto is dealing with the one test he was not looking forward to. The seventh test was in the standard written exam form, and it was killing him. Covering every single topic Shiki had ever taught him (sans Chemistry, of course); Naruto was facing the most difficult test ever.

"Ugh, and I can't even ask for help because I'm stuck with the **ignorant** one……"

Saya only raised an eyebrow. "You are really asking for that ass-kicking, aren't you?"

Naruto rolled his mediums. "Sheesh, where's Shiki-sensei, anyway!?"

Saya's clone's face changed into a grave expression. "He's……dealing with some business."

* * *

The world is infused with chakra, and it shapes its meandering course. Most people are incapable of noticing this natural flow of the world's essence; streaming, rising, falling. There are places, though, called Geomantic Nodes: demesnes of energy where so much **power** concentrates that it's hard **not **to notice them, even if people cannot understand just **why **these places **feel **so different. So unique. So **alive**.

Geomancy is the science-slash-art that strives to understand this natural flux of the world's power and even control it to a certain extent. It's hard to understand why Geomancy uses a different set of elements (Fire, Wood, Water, Earth and Metal) than standard chakra theory. The reason finds its roots on the fact that Geomancy is far older than Chakra Theory. By the time it became obvious that the standard Ninjutsu elements were different, no geomancer was willing to suddenly change all the theory to standardize the two sciences. Besides, the current theories work just fine, even with different elements, and this is because the two theories are simply incompatible and no geomancer or chakra theorist dares even attempt to merge them, believing that nothing but frustration would come out of something like that.

Houraisan Shiki, being both geomancer **and** chakra theorist, managed to accomplish something more than frustration, with the aid of his wife. This is the reason _**Houraisan Taifuuin no Shiki **_is, indeed, the ultimate secret of the Houraisan Clan: it was their ultimate triumph, after all.

The First Hokage was a decent geomancer, which explains why he built his Hidden Village under the continent's second most powerful Geomantic Node. When he arrived to the land that would become Konoha, he couldn't understand why such a powerful Wood-type Geomantic Node was a barren wasteland. Not even the First and Shiki working together could figure out the reason. Their conclusion was that, at some point in the past,** something** had disrupted the flow of power in that region. Something **powerful**.

In any case, that didn't stop the First from doing his _**Mokuton**_ magic.

While his foster child killed some brain cells by working on his exam, Houraisan Shiki enjoyed the scenery of the most powerful Geomantic Node in the whole continent. He was in Suwa, a region on the southeastern portion of _**Taki no Kuni**_; the Waterfall Country. Even to the most ignorant, Suwa was one of the most beautiful places in the world; a haven of greenery and natural life like any other. The waters of the _**Suwako **_(Lake Suwa) always gave a plentiful hoard to the few fishermen of Suwa Village, and harvests were never poor. The scant population of Suwa lived simple, humble lives under the shadow of _**Akiyama**_ (Autumn Mountain). Nobody knows where the name came from or, to be more precise, nobody remembers anymore.

But Shiki was not in Suwa to visit the beautiful shrine of Suwa Village or to relax by the shores of Lake Suwa. He was there for business.

After traversing a natural road by the foot of _**Akiyama**_, he smiled in satisfaction when he heard the sound of running water and the loud cacophony of endless splashing. Passing through one last layer of thick vegetation, he made it to his destination.

It was a small river of pristine beauty, clearly untouched by human hands. A majestic waterfall disturbed the otherwise absolute peace and quiet of that place. That and the fact that he wasn't alone.

_No wonder I didn't see any animals nearby. They're all here._

A quick glance was all he needed. _Three from Kiri. Jounins. Just two Jounins from Kumo, both female. A whole platoon of five from Iwa? That's troublesome. Hard to tell who's a Jounin and who's just a Chuunin there. On the other side, Suna just sent a Genin team and their sensei. They must be nervous, the poor lads. Three from Hidden Rain……no. One more is hidden……I don't see why; it's obvious everyone else has also noticed. A single one from Kusa and three from Takigakure……but they're in home ground, so there might be more._

"Welcome to Suwa. I thank you all for coming here, representatives of your respective Hidden Villages. As you may have noticed, no one has come to represent Konoha, as they do not even know of this meeting."

Shiki almost found the tension amusing. He was surprised he didn't arrive to find a massacre; they all looked just about to jump at each other's throats.

"I take it we are all aware of the reason for this meeting, which, allow me to say, I find utterly unnecessary."

His eyes widened a little when a good portion of the overall killing intent was directed at him. He noticed that the only ones who didn't react negatively to his words were the envoys of Suna, Kusa and Taki.

"You already know that Houraisan has officially become a clan of Konoha."

Another spike of killing intent allowed Shiki to realize his plan was working perfectly. None of the envoys wanted to be the first to draw weapons; they were all too wary of everyone else. He was safe. For how long? Only one way to find out.

"This is because we have adopted an orphaned child from Konoha. He carries the name Houraisan now, therefore, Houraisan as a family is now registered in Konoha's records. The Sandaime himself, listening to my request, gave us the title of 'Clan', even if it's just the three of us."

"The Houraisan Clan has traded in information and intangible services for a long time. We have shared information with each and every single Hidden Village."

He looked at the envoys from _**Kirigakure**_. "It was I who taught_** Fuuinjutsu **_to the now-legendary smith who forged the blades of your fabled shinobi Swordsmen."

He turned to the Kumo ladies. "My wife introduced _**Yokazeryuu **_to Kumo when she taught it to your Second Raikage, and it has now become the standard Taijutsu style taught at your Ninja Academy."

Iwa. "The city-size geomantic array I created protects _**Iwagakure**_ from being torn apart by earthquakes."

Suna. "Saya helped you design the greenhouses your shinobi use to grow the plants you use for medicines and poisons. And let's not forget she trained your Third Kazekage."

Ame. "I was present during the negotiations that allowed _**Ame no Kuni**_ to become an independent land, separated from Fire Country."

Kusa. "Saya is one of the reasons the walls of Kusagakure are nigh impassable."

His eyes swept the whole place, searching the eyes of everyone else. "Houraisan has helped you all equally and impartially, always following the proper rules of diplomacy and civilized manners."

"It is obvious to everyone here that in our……interactions with your villages we have come to acquire information that you would find……delicate in nature. It is just fair; we have generously shared our knowledge, and gained both knowledge and income in exchange. Saya and I swore to never share or trade with this information. To ensure your trust and protect our reputation, we have made an oath of absolute secrecy which we have never betrayed, and I challenge anyone here to say otherwise."

"You swore to never swear allegiance to any Country or Hidden Village." The one who was obviously in charge of the Kiri group spoke in a rather rude tone. Just like his two companions, his face was covered with a mask and his clothes worked so as to conceal his features.

"Indeed." Shiki nodded. "To this day, neither Saya nor I have sworn allegiance to the Third Hokage or the Daimyo of Fire Country. My wife simply wanted a child, and I am not the one who will deny her this simple wish. Those of you who are parents hopefully understand that."

The two Kumo women, looking to be around their late twenties, both smiled a bit. _The sympathy card always works._ Shiki thought.

"Why a child from Konoha?"

"Circumstances, Jounin from Suna. Plain and simple circumstances. We could have easily picked a child from Wind Country, and then there would be a team from Konoha here instead of you and your Genins."

"In any case, to prevent any political repercussions, Saya and I have decided to stop our little trading business. We will not negotiate with any country or Hidden Village. However, you can rest assured that your secrets will remain as such, and not even our son will be privy to them."

Shiki's so-far-amiable voice took a rather serious tone.

"This is the message I had my network of contacts rely to you from the moment we adopted our child, but it seems some of you did not find it agreeable. It came to my knowledge that some of my informants were, in fact, killed by some of you. I hope no more unnecessary deaths will follow, but, just in case, I have asked my informants to move from their usual locations."

A sudden flash of light drew many pairs of eyes to a corner of the open meeting place.

"Put away your weapons, shinobi of Iwa." Shiki spoke calmly. "No violence will be allowed in this pure and sacred land."

"Bullshit!" One of the Iwa-nin claimed. "Your bitch is probably selling our secrets to the Hokage as we speak!"

Shiki didn't pay attention to the murmurs of agreement from the Kiri and Kusa sides. He was using every single bit of willpower he had to not kill that Iwa shinobi on the spot. **No one **spoke of his wife like that. He had to make sure the insolent understood that.

"My policy of not desecrating this beautiful place is the only thing that keeps your heart beating, Iwa-nin-san. Unfortunately, I have no way to prove to you that your secrets remain safe. It is simply a question of trust. We have not betrayed you before. We have no intention to do it now, even if the circumstances have changed. Like I explained, we owe no allegiance to the Third Hokage, even if our name is now affiliated with Konoha. It is up to you and your leaders whether to believe us or not."

"Well then." Shiki bowed curtly. "Unless anyone has anything else to say, I shall take my leave now."

The sound of laughter interrupted his honest intention of leaving. Curiously enough, it came from one of the Ame-nin.

"Please……Houraisan-san, do not make fun of us. Do you seriously believe you will leave this place alive?"

Shiki almost snorted, but wisely chose not to do so. "I…honestly cannot think of a reason that would suggest otherwise."

"Even if you are sincere, and I cannot help but believe you are." The Ame-nin continued while drawing a kunai. "The risk of you leaking information to Konoha simply cannot be tolerated. Balance of powers, you see."

Shiki found that funny. _And this is what Saya just doesn't understand._

"I see. I'd like to suggest you to keep any assassination attempts for a later time, though. In fact, I sincerely suggest you all to depart from this place immediately."

Shiki didn't know if they just accepted his honest words or saw "underneath the underneath." For any reason, the Suna, Kumo, Kusa and Taki teams disappeared in the sudden way only ninjas can. That left Iwa, Ame and Kiri. Shiki could only pray for their poor souls. Or he could try one last time.

"Please, put away your weapons. I won't fight in this sacred place. If you are intelligent, you won't, either."

"That only makes things easier for us!"

An Iwa-nin leapt over the riverbank, trying to fall upon Shiki with the ninja-to he was drawing in midair. Shiki didn't move. There was no need to.

When the attacker was in the highest point of his long jump, right above the middle of the small river, a dragon made out of pure water emerged from the waterfall, swallowed him whole and disappeared on the rapid waters, to the awe and shock of both present and hidden.

"And…that's why I won't lift a hand in this place. Fighting here?" Shiki shook his head condescendingly. "Bad idea."

The remaining shinobi's killing intent was utterly drowned by a new presence that invaded the place with the subtlety of a steamroller. It wasn't killing intent or anything remotely close. It wasn't even aggressive. It was simply **powerful**.

"Too noisy."

_About time she shows up. _Shiki thought. _I was actually getting nervous for a second there._

"She" didn't look older than twelve. "She" was completely naked, openly showing her flawless milky skin and two small, perky pink nipples on a perfectly flat chest. "She" had impossibly long blond hair that, when seen under the right light from the right angle, actually seemed to glow orange. "She" was rubbing her big green eyes with a tiny hand while "she" yawned. "She" was emerging from behind the waterfall, walking on the surface of the river like any decent ninja can.

"She" was wearing the most outrageous headpiece ever.

It was a dragon's head (minus the jaw). And it was huge; way bigger than any girl her size should be able to carry on her head. And it looked awfully real, as if the girl had killed a real dragon for the sole purpose of wearing his head. The head was roughly four sevenths the size of the girl. Its eyes had been replaced by huge emeralds. Smaller gems were studded on its skin and long, multicolored strips of paper with strange symbols written on them hung limply from its horns.

"You are too noisy." The girl complained again.

The many shinobi present didn't need Shiki's IQ to figure out the newcomer was no ordinary little girl. That information didn't help much, though.

"Who are you!?" The Iwa-nin who said this cannot really be blamed. It **is** the obvious question. The girl's drowsiness disappeared, to be replaced by a narrow, sharp gaze and a half-smile that oozed pride and confidence.

"I return the question to you, shinobi. Who are you to speak to me with such an insolent tone?"

She blinked, and her shiny emerald eyes became yellow and reptilian.

"I do not tolerate any form of violence within my abode. Disobey me and **perish**."

* * *

"Oi, Saya! I need to get wasted!!!"

"Good afternoon to you too, Anko." Saya muttered darkly right before side-stepping a palm thrust charged with organ-damaging chakra.

"Yeah, sure, whatever. Take out the booze!"

"Don't you see…" she moved her head to the left in time to avoid the fingers that would have pierced her right eye. "…I'm in the middle……" She made a back-flip to get away from the low sweeping kick aimed to knock her off balance. "…of something here?" The sweeping kick suddenly became a reverse high roundhouse kick. Saya bent her upper body backwards and let the air explode above her as the foot swept past. "Ooh, nice, Hinata!"

"Thank you." The Hyuuga heiress growled. "Now give me a prize and let me **hit you**!"

"See, you hitting me would hurt. A lot. I…kinda don't like getting hurt. Sure, I don't mind some kinky games with Shiki-dear every now and then, but that's different."

The words acted as the perfect distraction, as Hinata's vivid imagination created a horrible, horrible mental image that sent inexplicable amounts of blood to the girl's face. A second later, she had been knocked off her feet and sent down to the grass, giving Saya the chance to focus on the newcomers.

Ever since Houraisan became a clan of Konoha, Training Area 69 lost its status of "secret area." Everyone was free to enter the Houraisan district-that-was-not-a-district, just like with any other district. Then again, not many people have reasons to visit the Houraisan.

"So, what were you saying, Anko……and Kurenai."

Indeed, a beautiful woman with curly black hair and crimson eyes stood a step behind Anko. She was wearing a Chuunin vest and a dejected look on her face.

"I said bring out the booze, woman! Kurenai-chan and I are going to drink ourselves senseless!"

"I…thought that's what bars are for." She replied as she calmly sidestepped Hinata's attempt at tripping her, swiftly dropping a heel on Hinata's stomach, pushing the air out of her lungs and making her curl up into a moaning, groaning ball. "That was just low, Hinata." She turned back to Anko. "So, really, why are you two here?"

"But Sayaaaa……" Anko pouted. "You have the **really **good booze!!!"

_Kami, she's like the female, sexy, alcoholic version of Naruto……which is appropriate in so many ways………_

"…ugh, alright, whatever. You know where it is. There are cups in the kitchen, of course."

"**Alright**!!!" Anko's effusiveness startled the other three ladies present. _Yup, just like Naruto. _Saya thought. "Let's go, Kurenai-chan!"

Saya followed the duo with her eyes. Kurenai, while not nearly as enthusiastic as her friend, didn't seem to mind being dragged around by her. _I wonder what happened to those two._

"Please do not interrupt Naruto-kun."

Hinata's sudden intervention took everyone by surprise. Anko, who hadn't really bothered to pay attention to the girl Saya had been beating the crap out of until that moment, turned to look at the Hyuuga heiress.

The cold, threatening stare she received from the younger girl actually surprised her. Kurenai, too, seemed to be quite impressed by the power Hinata had infused into her stare. It wasn't the standard 'I'm-a-Hyuuga' stare they were unpleasantly used to. It was a silent "or else……" that finished Hinata's polite request.

Anko blinked. "Who's the brat?"

Kurenai rolled her eyes. "You **have** to be joking."

Anko crossed her arms under her chest, which had the interesting side-effect of lifting her magnificent bosom. While Saya's mind shouted curses at the unfairness of the world, she answered Anko's question.

"Hyuuga Hinata. I'm pretty sure I've mentioned her before, even if it's the first time you two actually meet here……which is surprising, I mean, Hinata has come here almost every day for the last four years. Anyway, she's my apprentice."

"Hmm……nope, don't remember. How am I supposed to remember the things you tell me when I'm getting wasted, anyway?"

Saya felt like bashing her head against a wall. Repeatedly. Even Hinata blinked, finding it impossible to not find Anko's antics surprisingly………Naruto-esque.

"Please, Anko, it's standard knowledge." Kurenai added. "Hyuuga Hinata, you know, clan heiress, Hyuuga Hiashi's first daughter……"

"Oh!" Anko dropped a fist on the opposite palm. "You're Himeko's girl! Oh, training the mother and now training the daughter? Planning to train the grandchildren, too?"

Saya chuckled and shook her head. _Don't think I'll live that long._"Sake's waiting, Anko."

"Oh, right! Sake!!!" Anko cheered, dragging a startled Kurenai with her.

"Gra-Grandchildren?" Hinata was blushing, her mind already figuring out what needed to happen for her departed mother to have grandchildren. "As in, wi-with Naruto-kun?"

Cue nosebleed. Cue passing out.

"Damn, that was one hell of an association." Saya raised an eyebrow. "Kami, I love this girl. Even if she's a bit loose in the head. Who am I to complain, anyway?"

* * *

Due to their distance and the fact of the house's walls being soundproof, Saya couldn't hear what Anko and Kurenai heard the moment they entered the residence to get their hands on some fine sake.

Piano.

While one Naruto furiously slid a brush on a scroll on the dining table, another Naruto played a strange tune on the exotic instrument. It was obvious to the newcomers that it was a song they had never heard before. In a way, it was different from anything they had heard before. It was fast-paced. It was furious. It was playful. It was exciting. It was mysterious. It was a promise of a fantastic clash and of epic heroics, from the perspective of an innocent child with one hell of an imagination. It was light. It was bright. It was powerful.

It was all those things at the same time.

It was** Naruto**.

"Damn, I'm awesome." Piano player Naruto declared after the last note. The Saya clone clapped slowly. The original Naruto still scribbled away furiously.

"Well, that was certainly interesting. When did you come up with that?"

"A while ago. I wanted to know if I was good enough to make my own song. It was hard to find chances to practice without being noticed."

Clone-Saya nodded. "Yeah, I was about to ask about that. How did you do it?"

"I practice when you…I mean, the real you and Shiki-sensei are doing the nasty."

"Oh……smart." Saya declared, before grinning. "But you know, sometimes we clones join in the fun, too. That's what makes _**Kage Bunshin **_so interesting."

"Whoa! Too much information!" The clone slowly backed away from his surrogate mother. The original Naruto groaned and slumped on the desk, trying to cover his ears and forget the last few seconds of his life.

Anko announced his presence (not that Saya and Naruto hadn't noticed her, though) by chuckling. "Aww, come on, the brat still hasn't recovered from 'The Talk', you know."

Naruto's "eyes" widened at the memory of the most utterly horrifying episode of his life. "Y-You **monster**……"

"Oh, suck it up, boy."

Anko laughed at Naruto's reaction to the word "suck" (which involved his skin taking an unhealthy green tone and a coalescence of puke going halfway up his throat before going back down again). Needless to say, Naruto's version of 'The Talk' was rather……unconventional.

"There, there." Kurenai patted the real Naruto's head rather clumsily, only to get a glare in return.

"Don't you **dare**……" Naruto growled. "You were there, too! You helped them…do……**that **to me!"

Kurenai's smile turned rather forceful. "You are aware I was the one who made sure they didn't go too far, aren't you?"

"I can't help but think you failed at that, Kurenai-nee-chan. Terribly."

Saya came up with a fake-pout aimed at her dear son. "Aw, come up, you should appreciate that your dear mother gathered such an elite team of experts for such an important lecture."

"Elite my ass……"

"Only one way to find out."

Anko chuckled at the nasty curse the blond uttered under his breath, directed at "disgusting snake freaks." He began to count with his fingers. "Anko……"

"Hey, you can't deny I'm an expert."

"**Shut. Up.**" Saya could have sworn Naruto's green magatamas became brown for a second there. He lifted a second finger. "Kurenai-nee-chan. Atsuko-nee-chan. Mayumi-nee-chan. Mikoto-nee-chan. And that crazy ANBU lady whose name I don't even** want **to remember!"

"Oh, Yuugao-chan!" Anko declared happily. Saya's face showed recognition. Naruto growled something undecipherable. The clone was banging his head against the piano keys, hoping it would dispel him.

"Ah, right. Nice girl. Did you invite her, Anko?"

"Yup. Met her on the way here and asked her if she wanted to teach sex-ed to a brat. She said 'sure, why not' and you know the rest."

"I hate you so much."

"Oh, whatever. I came here for booze!" Anko declared before striding towards the cabinets.

"Sasuke actually passed out. I'm going to blackmail him with that for years, but, damn, he passed out!"

Kurenai chuckled. Saya was a bit more vocal. "He won't be looking at his mother the same ever again, that's for sure."

"He was cursing Itachi-nii-san for leaving him to restore the clan." Naruto stated.

Saya ignored the boy. "Too bad Hiashi didn't let me teach Hinata."

"_So, Hiashi-kun, can I teach your girl about sex?"_

"_Hell no."_

"Party-pooper. Then again, I get the feeling Hinata-chan doesn't really need education." Suddenly she gasped in excitement. "Maybe we should prepare something for Hanabi-chan!!!"

"**HELL NO!!!**" Naruto rose from his seat, challenging the three women with a heated glare. "Keep Hana-chan out of your perverted…sick, twisted games."

"Aw, come on, it was fun! And educational!"

"It was wrong!" Naruto whined. "And sick! It was **wrongsick!!!**"

Kurenai actually giggled. In front of a cabinet, Anko cheered to herself when she found the much-elusive booze.

"My, so protective." Saya raised an eyebrow, feeling playful. "Unless you intend to teach her yourself?"

Naruto became a stuttering, blushing mass, much to Saya's and Kurenai's amusement. Anko snorted as she moved to get some cups.

"Pfft, the boy's too much of a wimp. At this rate he'll only kiss a girl in, like, twenty years."

In an act of wisdom of **EPIC **proportions, Naruto chose not to reveal he had already kissed a girl, the exact same girl they were talking about.

More like the girl kissed him, and the girl in question still has no idea of the significance of kissing, but the point gets across.

"Ugh…can we just……stop talking about **that**? I really should get back to my exam."

"Stop talking about what? Sex?" Anko teased. Naruto squirmed in authentic physical pain. Kurenai kneeled closer to the traumatized boy.

"You know, you should be grateful they only **explained **things to you." Kurenai whispered. "Anko was insisting on making a live demonstration with Uzuki-san."

"Now** that **I didn't need to know."

"Mikoto was too busy blushing to complain; it was actually your mother who stopped them."

"Doesn't make her any less of a perv."

"True, but that perv loves you, Naruto-kun."

Naruto eyed the shadow clone of her foster mother, who at the moment was trying to stop Anko from emptying the sake bottle in her stomach before serving it.

"……fair enough."

* * *

A few minutes later, the three females were enjoying their sake around the same table where Naruto struggled with one of the last remaining questions (_"Explain the two main causes of market failure and give an example of each."_). Anko eyed the scroll oddly.

"Just what the hell are you doing, brat?"

"Busy. Can't talk."

"What about your shadow clone?" Anko eyed the Naruto sitting by the piano.

"He's doing an exam, Anko." Saya-clone explained. "Not all of his tests can be fun and interesting, after all. We cannot spoil him much." She focused on Anko and Kurenai. "What are **you **two doing here, I wonder? There has to be a damn you reason you want to get wasted so badly."

Anko grimaced. Kurenai lowered her head, looking crestfallen. Saya frowned. "Okay, now you **have **to tell me what's wrong."

The Special Jounin took a sip of her drink, as if hoping to get rid of some horrible taste in her mouth. "……the list of Jounin candidates was announced today."

Saya closed her eyes. She could guess Anko's unannounced words. "Too bad."

"Yeah, it sucks." Anko shot a glance at Kurenai. "Kurenai-chan wanted to take a Genin team. She might have ended up teaching your kid."

Naruto, while interested in the conversation, really needed to focus on his test, so he let his clone do the talking.

"Jounin?"

Saya rolled her eyes. Explanations were more Shiki's thing. "There are several ways to reach Jounin rank. The most common one is by making it to the yearly recommendations. The First Hokage came up with the system because, well, a Hokage cannot keep track of every single shinobi's performance. Basically, other people send 'suggestions' of possible Jounin candidates to the Hokage. The old man checks who got the most and the best recommendations and makes a list of potential candidates. This is the list Anko was talking about, and it's obvious she didn't make it. Neither did Kurenai, it seems."

"Of course I didn't make it." Anko spat. "It's a damned popularity contest."

"Having the right friends certainly helps, I'll admit." Saya said. "There's a lot of politics involved, and that's not precisely your forte, Anko, dear."

"Fuck you."

"That's Shiki's job, dear."

Kurenai actually had to hide a blush. Naruto snorted and focused his attention on the test.

* * *

"Houraisan Shiki."

With just her calling his name, he fell on his knees. Heaving and grabbing handfuls of grass with his hands, Shiki struggled to not lose either his sanity or the contents of his stomach. Now **that **was the girl's killing intent.

It was like a physical pressure on his back, a knife in his guts and a flame that seared his skin slowly and painfully, all together. He was sure that, should he be able to look up, he would see trees bending and withering and stones cracking by the intangible force.

"Your insolence is only second to your arrogance." The girl declared as she took a step closer to him. Shiki bit his lip and tried to keep his tears in his eyes, even if he knew it was pointless. The girl resumed her march amongst the bodies of dead shinobi.

"You** used **me, Houraisan. You brought this group of imbeciles to **my **home **on purpose**, knowing that I don't tolerate violence in my shrine. You **knew** I would attack them the moment they attacked you. You **knew**, and you **were expecting me to**."

There was an explosion of power; a peak of deadly intent focused on one single man, who couldn't do anything but collapse on the grass, drooling and crying pathetically.

The tips of the girl's long golden hairs were painted red with blood they collected as she walked over the bodies of the massacred shinobi.

It had all begun when the hidden Ame-nin tried to take the girl out from behind.

Nobody saw what happened.

An instant after he appeared ready to strike the back of her head, his body fell on the river, in pieces; his head, arms and legs severed from his body with perfectly clean cuts.

And the carnage began.

Less than two minutes later, it was just the girl and the Lord of Houraisan. She looked down at his pitiful form with the contempt a person stares at an ant.

"Give me a good reason not to end your existence right now."

That was it. Shiki's one and only chance. Finding strength he didn't know he had, he gathered his will and his chakra despite the overwhelming pressure of the presence before him, and dispelled one single seal.

With a poof of smoke, a paper bag appeared by the small girl's left foot.

"I……brought………taiyaki………"

"Oooh, taiyaki!"

And it was over. The pressure, the danger, the all-consuming feeling of helplessness and inevitable doom. There was only a man on the ground and a girl sitting on a rock in the middle of the river, happily eating fish-shaped waffles.

"So……" Shiki murmured, still struggling to catch his breath. "……are we good……Hina-hime-sama?"

"Ah? Ah, sure, sure! Mmm, this is heavenly!"

Shiki let go a long sigh of relief and exasperation. _I'll never complain about the gods' fickleness again. Never. Sheesh, I'm too old for this………_

He took his time regaining his composure while the little goddess enjoyed her treat. With the way she happily munched and the way her short legs swung pointlessly on the water surface, anyone could have confused her with a simple child. Save for the huge dragon head. And the nudity.

"Shiki."

"Hmm?" The seal master, walking with wobbly legs, claimed a nearby rock on the river as his seat.

"Why didn't you just kill them yourself?"

Shiki smiled. "I do not like unnecessary fights."

"You just make someone else do the fighting for you."

"Exactly." There was no point in hiding anything from the goddess anymore. In fact, hiding anything would probably be a terrible idea. "And I didn't want to try my luck against twenty-two shinobi. I'm not that confident of my combat skills."

"Hmm……" The girl muttered with the tone of someone who obviously isn't really paying attention. "Why didn't you bring your wife, then?"

"She has matters to attend to."

"Hmm……more." The girl demanded, showing Shiki an empty bag.

"Immediately, Hime-sama."

"Don't call me that." She pouted as she hastily grabbed a second bag of taiyaki. "I'm not a princess anymore."

"Of course you are." Shiki disagreed. "The fact that you left the_** Ryuuguu**_ doesn't change anything. You are Ryuuguu Hina-sama, second daughter of the Dragon Queen. One of the princesses of dragonkind."

Hina rolled her eyes and dropped her head. "And I just don't care. We will not talk about this anymore."

"As you wish, Hina-sama."

The draconic goddess smiled a bit in appreciation of Shiki changing the way he addressed her. "So, how have you been? I hadn't seen you in……how long has it been?"

"Seven years, I believe. I was in Suwa one more time after that, but I didn't stop by. You have my most sincere apologies."

"Ah, don't worry, don't worry." Truly, she was a different person when she was in a good mood. "So, when did you last come to Suwa?"

"A little over five years ago. I came to meet Suika-sama. We didn't have much time for pleasantries, either."

"Ah, that's bad. You're always so busy, Houraisan, just like a common human."

"I revel on what little humanity I have."

Hina blinked, as if noticing something, before offering him a compassionate gaze. "You don't have much time left, do you?"

Shiki shook his head. "That is of no importance."

"Hmm……you will be missed, Houraisan. I do enjoy our conversations……and you always bring taiyaki! Mmm, taiyaki……"

Shiki chuckled. _Goddesses……_

He pulled out a scroll. "Hina-sama, do you remember the last time we conversed?"

"My memory happens to be infinitely better than yours. More."

"Of course." After unsealing another bag of hot taiyaki (he was running out of it, which worried him), he resumed his original idea. "Then you do remember we talk for a while about humans' technology."

"Yes, yes."

"I thought you might enjoy this scroll, then."

If there was something Hina enjoyed more than taiyaki, it was knowledge. Like all dragons, Hina is a sage; a collector of lore. This is the main reason she actually stands Shiki's presence, for he is a fellow savant.

"My, thank you." Hina received the scroll with a pleasant surprise. "It will keep me busy for a while, I hope. So, we both know how this works. What do you want?"

Shiki smiled and slowly shook his head, causing the dragon girl to raise an eyebrow.

"Nothing? I know you better than that, Houraisan. You want something……" Her eyes widened a bit. "……unless……" She covered her chest with her tiny arms and the taiyaki bag. "……well, I can't blame you if you're lusting after my body."

It was Shiki's turn to raise an eyebrow. "I apologize for my rudeness, Hina-sama, but your current form doesn't do it for me at all."

Hina smirked as she looked down at her infant body. "Well, that can be fixed."

Shiki loved his wife. He loved her more than anything. He loved her immensely and he had remained faithful to her his entire existence. However, he knew that, if the dragon goddess demanded him to give her pleasure, he would have to do so.

There is no room for negotiation when dealing with a powerful goddess.

"Oh, well. Your loss, Houraisan."

Shiki concealed a sigh of relief. "It definitely is, Hina-sama."

Hina smiled sweetly. "You have a way with words, Deathless. So, what is it that you want?"

* * *

The world went silent as the two challenged each other with their cold, emotionless gazes. The air did not dare whistle. The cool, barren land would not stand between them. The wasteland that marked the scenery of their final battle stood still, expectant. The hollow twilight of the first hour of night embraced the two, eager to welcome them both into the sweet peace of eternal darkness.

"You have no idea how long I've waited for this, Itachi."

Itachi didn't bother to mention that Sasuke looked exactly the same as the last time he had seen him.

"You shouldn't have come. Do you really think you can fight me, brother?"

"I will defeat you. I will make you cry for mercy!" Sasuke's mature _**Sharingan **_(how **that** happened, Itachi wondered) gleamed, reflecting its owner's emotions.

Itachi closed his eyes, unable to suppress a sigh. It was truly regrettable. Why couldn't his foolish little brother be more like Naruto? The Hokage-to-be was actually training properly, getting ready for a truly epic battle in a few years. But no, his stupid sibling had to just jump into the fray with the delusion of actually having a chance.

"It seems I was not thorough enough that night, foolish Sasuke." He concluded, opening his eyes once more. The black tomoe of Itachi's_** Sharingan **_shifted and changed as he triggered the ultimate form of his _**Kekkei Genkai**_. "Very well. Class is in session. I will clearly show you the difference in our levels._**Tsuku**_-"

"_**Tsukuyomi!!!**_"

Itachi didn't even have time to go "WTF!?" before everything went black.

An instant later, the darkness receded into the……flowery scenario of Sasuke's _**Tsukuyomi**_.

At the sight of the sea of colorful blossoms that carpeted the land as far as he could see, Itachi said something he would normally not say in any other circumstance.

"……what the fuck?"

He didn't even bother trying to get free. He was bound to a wooden cross, and he knew the bindings were perfect. At least that didn't change in his little brother's _**Tsukuyomi**_. In fact, this didn't bother him in the slightest. It was the shining sun, the lively scenery of flowers and the nigh-erotic perfume of a perfect spring day which disturbed him immensely. What kind of horrible torture was this? And where the hell was Sasuke anyway?

Poof. A explosion of smoke.

Itachi's eyes widened as he stared in shock at the object of torture Sasuke had called upon.

"You wouldn't dare……" The elder sibling hissed, his words seething killing intent and barely suppressed rage.

The floating box of chocolate Pocky suddenly grew cartoonish hands and legs and began a silly dance in front of Itachi.

"Yes." Sasuke's disembodied voice echoed throughout the beautiful flower field, triumphant and mocking. It contrasted severely with the landscape of utter beauty and serenity he had created. "For the next 72 hours, the big family of Pocky flavors will dance for you."

More Pocky boxes than Itachi could eat in his life emerged from the hiding places among the flowers, taking positions around the slayer of the Uchiha Clan.

"Unable to reach them. Unable to taste them. Unable to enjoy them. You will be doomed to have them just beyond your grasp. You will be forced to watch them lure you and seduce you. You will be forced to want them, while knowing they will never be yours."

They began their silly dance. Poor Itachi didn't know where to look.

"Cry, nii-san. Cry and suffer."

Itachi's scream was as intense as it was pitiful.

* * *

"AAAAAHHHH!!!"

With a gasp, Uchiha Itachi awakened. His first action once he returned to the realm of the conscious was to desperately slam his hand on the side table, seeking the much-needed ambrosia. When his fingers felt the all-too familiar texture and shape of the box, he hurriedly seized it and used his other hand to stuff his mouth with the snack like the man who tastes water for the first time after days under the harsh desert sun. He didn't stop until his mouth was stuffed with the thing, his jaw munching with an eagerness that would make an Akimichi proud.

Yes, Pocky is heaven.

Calmly seated on the only other bed in the tenebrous room, Hoshigaki Kisame stared at his roommate with a mixture of awe, disgust and plain bafflement.

"Well, that was amusing."

The tall man with blue skin and shark-like features, clad in the trademark black-with-red-clouds Akatsuki cloak, waited calmly while Itachi properly chewed the excessive amount of Pocky in his mouth. It was obvious the young Uchiha was having some trouble.

"Ask me for water and I'll _**Suiton **_your ass out of the cave." Kisame joked, which prompted a deadly glare from his roommate. One minute later, once all the Pocky was well on its way to Itachi's stomach, he swiftly and properly explained his unusual behavior.

"………bad dream."

Kisame rolled his eyes. He didn't want to imagine how one thing could be related to the other.

"Whatever. I'm off to get breakfast. I'd ask if you want to come, but I'd say you're rather full now."

The shark man chuckled at the spike of killing intent he got in response. Seizing his trusty _**Samehada**_, he walked to the door of their cavern/bedroom, not paying attention to his roommate. After getting properly dressed (no, he does not sleep in the cloak), Itachi quickly stored the now-half-empty Pocky box somewhere under his cloak. Once he made sure his other Pocky boxes were still where he kept them (never hurts to be sure), he followed Kisame to the dining room.

* * *

Unlike the many other Akatsuki hideouts all over the continent, the main Akatsuki Den of Evil™ was more properly equipped to house nine (ten until recently) dangerous and, well, quite eccentric, S-rank nins. By order of their nameless Leader they slept in pairs (there were two beds in each room), even if there were enough rooms for each of them. Apparently the extra rooms were for, in the words of the Leader, "guests." The others guessed it was the Leader's nice way to say prisoners-hopefully-_**Jinchuuriki**_.

The dining room was, after the meeting room where the infamous group strategizes and discusses their evil plans of abominable perversion, the most illuminated room in the otherwise quite depressing Akatsuki cave. The large, rectangular, tall table had enough seats for the entire group, but only one was occupied that morning. Zetsu, the former Kusa-nin with the right half of his body in white and the other half in black, acknowledged Kisame's and Itachi's presence with a glance barely visible behind the tall flytrap leaves that emerged from his shoulders.

The empty table showed Zetsu either was done with breakfast or wasn't there for breakfast at all. The only sounds that could be heard in the hollow vastness of the Akatsuki cave came from the kitchen.

"Oi!!!" Kisame exclaimed, his face shifting into a dolphin-eating grin. "Kohaku-chan!!!"

"Oooh, it's Kisame-kun!" A distinctively female voice responded from within the cloistered kitchen. While the two newcomers took seats, the owner of the voice emerged from behind a wall. Sweating barrels and dirtied with soot up to the tip of her nose, the official Akatsuki chef emerged from her battlefield. Irye Kohaku was a tall female, being taller than Itachi by almost two inches, and she was proud of it. Everybody in Akatsuki was familiar with the shoulder-length gray hair, the pale skin and the amber eyes that are her namesake. However, nobody in Akatsuki had ever seen the body under the loose clothes. Being too big for her, they made a good job of hiding her proportions, whichever they were. Looking no older than twenty, the dirty cook grinned at the newcomers.

"Didn't know you were here, you two."

"Just arrived last night." Kisame explained. "So, what's today's menu?"

Kohaku grinned mischievously. "Well, I was thinking of shark fin soup, followed by weasel cooked in its own juices, topped with seasonal herbs."

Silence.

"……tch. Nobody has a sense of humor in this stupid cave." Kohaku turned her head towards the wall of rock that separated the dining room from the furnace that was the kitchen. "Oi! Tobi!!! Move your ass and get to cooking! We have customers!!!"

Itachi's gaze narrowed. Kisame only frowned. "Tobi?"

"Aye, aye, Kohaku-sa-OW-OW-OW-OW-OW!!!! HOT!!!!" A youthful voice complained behind the wall.

"Of course it's hot, you idiot, it's a frickin' oven!"

Noticing the looks on Kisame's and Itachi's faces, Kohaku quickly explained. "Apparently he came here following Zetsu and saying he wanted to join Akatsuki, so Leader-sama gave him the lowliest job he could think of. It seems Leader-sama's definition of 'lowest of the low' is being my assistant."

The two partners switched from Kohaku to Zetsu.

"He just followed you here?" Kisame repeated. Zetsu only shrugged.

"He followed you into our **secret **hideout?" Zetsu shrugged again.

"And you let him!?" Zetsu shrugged for the third time. This time, however, he actually voiced a response. "I didn't see the point of killing him."

Kisame decided not to ask the plant-man just what part of "secret Akatsuki hideout" he didn't get.

"And the Leader just gave him a job. Just like that."

Zetsu nodded. "I'll admit I was surprised, too."

Kisame made an odd face before shrugging. "Whatever." He turned back to Kohaku. Itachi seemed to have found a very interesting crack on the rock wall to look at. "So, how is he?"

Kohaku smiled a bit. "He's got lots to learn, but at least he keeps me company. It gets damn boring around here at times."

"Who-WHOA!!!!!!"

Kohaku and Kisame cringed at the sound of dozens of pieces of kitchenware clattering and collapsing on one poor man. Itachi only frowned. Zetsu, who apparently was trying to nap, raised an eyelid to look at the wall.

"DAMN IT, TOBI, WHAT ARE YOU DOING BACK THERE!?" Kohaku shot an apologetic look at Kisame and mouthed a 'sorry' before storming back to the kitchen.

* * *

Twenty minutes or so later, Kisame and Itachi were enjoying a plentiful and balanced breakfast courtesy of Kohaku's enviable cooking skills. Since there was no sign of the Leader and/or his permanent female companion, the kitchen staff of two seized the chance to join the three powerful missing-nin at the dining table. This is how Kisame and Itachi met Tobi. While the fact that he was wearing dirty, baggy white clothes identical to Kohaku's (and a white apron which was just as dirty) was curious enough, what caught the two's attention was the orange-spiral mask that covered his head.

Kohaku and Kisame ate. Zetsu apparently slept. Tobi, who wasn't eating breakfast, seemed to be fixated on Itachi for some reason. It was hard to tell with the mask and all. The two eaters did notice Itachi hadn't touched his meal, though. He seemed to be quite interested in his chopsticks, examining them with a gaze as penetrating as it could be without activating the _**Sharingan**_. Kohaku intervened.

"Is……is there something not to your liking in today's meal, Itachi-kun?"

Kisame snorted. "Quit it already, Itachi, they're chopsticks, not Pocky sticks."

Itachi focused his dark eyes on his partner. "As a matter of fact, they are Pocky sticks."

"Eh?"

Kisame and Kohaku looked more carefully at Itachi's "chopsticks," confirming that they were, in fact, sticks of his favorite snack.

"What the……?" Kisame muttered, but Kohaku only looked at Tobi, who sheepishly (or so Kohaku thought: once again, mask) chuckled, scratching the back of his head (mask).

"Hehehe, well……we, umm…kinda ran out of chopsticks, so I was thinking of what to do when I remembered Kohaku-san told me Itachi-san likes Pocky a lot. I thought it would be nice, you know! You eat your breakfast and then you eat your chopsticks as dessert! Cool, huh? I like Pocky."

The next thing he felt was Kohaku's left fist smashing his forehead. "OWWW!!! Kohaku-chaaaan!!!!" The masked cook whined.

"Idiot!!! What kind of stupid idea is that!?"

Kisame actually looked amused. "Itachi doesn't seem to mind."

Indeed, the rogue Uchiha was doing as Tobi suggested, calmly using the Pocky sticks as chopsticks, being careful not to break them.

Breakfast time was spent in idle conversation.

* * *

"So, Leader-sama told me Orochimaru-san quitted, you know? How did that happen?"

Kisame shrugged. "No idea. Itachi?"

Itachi looked at Kisame, then at Kohaku, and finally at Tobi, who was making figures with grains of rice.

"……no idea."

Kisame and Kohaku looked at each other, but decided not to insist. "Well, good riddance I say." Kohaku declared. "I didn't like the way he looked at me. I think he doesn't like me."

"No kidding." Kisame muttered sarcastically. "I wonder why that would be."

"Hmph. Jackass."

"Look, look, Kohaku-san!!! It's a cat!" Tobi proudly presented his work of art on rice. "The cat says myaaa!"

The sound of Kohaku punching Tobi again.

"OWWW!!!"

"Don't play with the food!!! Don't play with **my **food!!!"

* * *

"Hey, Tobi, aren't you gonna eat?"

"Ah, Kohaku-san, thanks but no thanks. I'm not hungry yet."

"Hmm……" Kohaku shot a sharp look at the masked cook. "Now that I think about it, I've never seen you eat."

"Really?" Tobi tilted his head.

"And I've never seen your face under that stupid mask."

"HEY!" Tobi actually shifted backwards defensively. "Don't diss the mask, Kohaku-san! I can't believe you don't see the awesomeness of this mask! It's orange! It's a mask!! It's an **orange mask**!!! **With SPIRALS!!!!**" Tobi "explained," with wild arms gestures for added effect.

Kohaku and Kisame side-glanced at each other, unsure of how to respond to** that**.

"Uhh, whatever. But, really, why do you cover your face like that?" Kohaku inquired.

"Urk!" Tobi gulped, as the female obviously touched a subject he didn't enjoy. "Uhh…….VERY nasty scar?"

Kohaku snorted. "Oh, please! As if anyone here would care." She pointed at Kisame. "Fish-man." Her hand moved to point at Zetsu. "Plant-man. Orochimaru was a snake-freak. And please, oh please don't let me get started with Sasori and Kakuzu." She pointed at Itachi to her right with her right thumb. "Itachi-kun here is the most normal looking."

"Remind me again why I haven't killed you, Kohaku-chan." Kisame grumbled as he lowered his head and focused on his soup.

"Because you can't. Nobody can. That's why I'm here on the first place. And because you love my food."

* * *

"Aah!" Kisame exhaled loudly, followed by a rather loud belch. Itachi, who had yet to finish his meal, actually winced at that. "That was great! You've outdone yourself, Kohaku-chan."

Kohaku waved her left hand dismissingly. "Bah, you always say that. You only want to get me under your bed sheets, Kisame-kun."

The tall man grinned mischievously. "Am I getting close?"

Itachi wondered if he could suffocate himself by burying his face in his bowl of rice.

Kohaku chuckled. "Nah, sorry. You know what they say about fire and water: they just don't mix. Nothing personal."

"You sure are good at making up excuses."

"Well, what can I say? It's an art I've developed, just like my cooking."

"……oh."

Everyone (but Zetsu) looked at Itachi, who was staring in mild surprise at the broken Pocky sticks he had been using as chopsticks.

"Ah! They broke!"

"Thank you for stating the obvious, Tobi."

"What are we gonna do now!?" The masked one cried. However, everyone facefaulted when Itachi calmly withdrew a spoon from who-knows-where and resumed his meal. Everyone watched him eat in utmost silence for a few seconds, until Kisame spoke again.

"Itachi."

"Hn?"

"Do you always carry that spoon with you?"

"Hn."

"………why?"

Itachi shrugged. "Hnn."

"…right. Why didn't you take it out from the beginning?"

"………I liked the chopsticks."

"HA!" Tobi exclaimed triumphantly. "I knew it!!!"

"SHUT UP!!!" Kohaku promptly knocked her assistant out. "This is a madhouse……"

There wasn't much left, so Itachi didn't take more than two minutes to finish. Having done this, he focused his piercing eyes on Tobi.

"Tobi."

"Ye-yes? Itachi-san?"

He raised his right hand to eye level. "This." He began. "Is a spoon."

"No kidding." Kohaku mumbled, only to get a kick under the table. She glared at Kisame, whose face screamed "be quiet!" There's no messing with Uchiha Itachi when he's serious.

"Ye-yes." Tobi agreed with Itachi's obvious statement.

"It is not just any spoon. It is **my **spoon."

"Yes!"

Itachi extended his hand towards Tobi. "Now it is yours. Welcome…….and thank you for the chopsticks."

Kisame and Kohaku gaped at the sight of **tears** coming out in torrents from the single hole in Tobi's bizarre mask. "Itachi-san……" He clasped the Uchiha's hand with both of his, seizing the piece of cutlery with unusual reverence. "Tha-Thank you very much! Itachi-san! You don't know how much this means to me! I'll treasure it forever!!" And treasure it he did, holding it the way Hyuuga Hanabi holds her precious fox plushie she got on her sixth birthday from Houraisan Uzumaki Naruto.

On a side note, both Hiashi and the Hyuuga Council of Elders almost suffered epileptic seizures when Hanabi revealed the thing from under layers of gift-wrapping paper.

Kohaku, clearly weirded out by the whole thing, looked at Kisame. "I'm…not missing some sort of secret ninja thing behind this, am I?"

"No, you aren't."

"So this is just plain weird."

"Yes, it is."

"And I thought I had seen everything……" Kohaku mumbled. Itachi stood off his seat while Tobi polished his new treasure with his clothes.

"Let's go, Kisame."

"Yeah, yeah. Well then, catch ya later, Kohaku-chan."

The gray-haired lady smiled and nodded before turning to her assistant.

"Tobi, stop snuggling the spoon and pick the dishes."

"Ah! Ye-yes, Kohaku-san! Right away!!!"

"Oi, Kisame-kun."

The shark-man, who was already following Itachi out of the dining room/cave, stopped to turn his head at the cook. "Huh?"

Kohaku's smile narrowed in a mischievous grin. "Forget what I said before. You know where my room is. Show up whenever you feel like it."

Kisame revealed two sharp sets of saw-like teeth. "Sure."

"No kissing, though. I don't want any part of my body anywhere close to those teeth of yours."

"Yes, ma'am."

"Remember that conversation we had about keeping your business your own and yours alone, Kisame?" Itachi complained somewhere in the distance. "**This** is what I meant."

Kisame's grin became his equivalent of playful. "Oh, come on, Itachi! Say, I'll even let you watch. You could see it as research for_** Tsukuyomi**_."

Itachi cringed. He was seriously considering _**Tsukuyomi**_'ing himself into forgetting the last twenty seconds of his life.

* * *

Naruto knew it was **one of those days** when Saya interrupted Hinata's training to accompany him to his daily session with Hanabi.

His hunch became a suspicion when, on the way to the room where Hanabi waited for him, Hiashi appeared before him, claiming he wanted to "ascertain Hanabi's progress."

His suspicion became a bitter feeling in his gut when Hiashi asked the nearest servant nearby, who happened to be Hyuuga Atsuko, to follow them with tea and snacks for their guests.

His bitter feeling in the gut became an impending feeling of inevitable doom when Atsuko claimed she would be unable to carry tea and snacks for everyone and used this as an excuse to call for the aid of the second nearest person, Hyuuga Mayumi.

By the time he reached the door, he was focusing everything he had into not running away like a rabbit in rabbit hunting season. His hand was shaking as it approached the sliding door and his mind tried to ready itself for whatever horrible fate awaited him in that room.

When he opened the door and noticed Hanabi wasn't waiting for him in the middle of the dojo like she always did, but kneeling no more than two steps away from him, he knew he was in trouble. When he noticed by her shape and by the lower friction in the air currents around her that she was not wearing her standing training clothes but a kimono, he knew he was utterly screwed. He didn't know how, he didn't know why, but he was screwed. So he just waited, unmoving, for the answers to these two questions. Being unable to see, he couldn't notice the similar expressions of puzzlement on everyone else's faces (Hiashi, of course, hid it pretty well). Why would Hanabi wear a kimono to Taijutsu training, anyway?

After the initial surprise, it didn't take long for those capable of sight (that is, everyone but Naruto) to notice the other significant detail on Hanabi's appearance.

Her eyes were swollen as she struggled to hold back tears.

"Ho-Ho……" She swallowed. "Houraisan Naruto-sama………" She called softly as she ceremoniously bowed before her teacher, her forehead barely touching the wooden floor.

Naruto might be unable to see, but he immediately reacted to the tone. Hanabi had never used such a tone. It was just……not Hanabi. And the whole "Naruto-sama" thing just screamed trouble. He just hoped it wouldn't involve bodily harm or utter embarrassment.

"I know I am not worthy, and I know I am being rude by asking you like this, but………"

She looked up, a lone tear trickling down her otherwise lovely face.

"………would you marry me?"

So much for asking.

Naruto's conclusion was that he was completely and utterly fucked. He'd either die of internal bleeding courtesy of Hiashi or die of embarrassment courtesy of, well, everyone else there but Hiashi. Naruto, however, being ever the optimist, did thank the gods for Anko's absence. She would have had a field day with this.

However, his mother had always insisted on the importance of taking the initiative, so he acted. Fast.

He walked forward one single step and stretched his right hand in the same direction. An instant later, the sliding door closed behind him, leaving Hiashi and the others outside.

Thank the gods for seal-less _**Tesabaki**_.

At the same time he did this, his right hand extracted a paper strip. Unlike the ones Shiki always carried with him, this one was completely clean and ready to be inscribed with the mystical symbols that were the basis of _**Fuuinjutsu**_. He had no time to get an ink and a brush, so he went for the next best thing. Wincing at the tinge of pain caused by his sharp canine ripping the skin of his thumb, Naruto quickly inscribed a sequence of symbols in blood, slammed the paper strip on the doorframe and made a swift sequence of hand seals. Hanabi was the only witness of the paper glowing blue for a second before sticking itself to the surface.

"There. Now they won't be able to open the door……unless they take it down. Security seals rule."

Hanabi blinked. She was too amazed and confused to feel anything else. She had already forgotten she had been on the verge of tears just seconds before.

"Cool……"

Naruto grinned at his young apprentice. "Yes, very. Now, come'ere."

He walked across the dojo to the far wall, sitting on the floor and leaning against the vertical surface. Hanabi interpreted Naruto's patting of the floor to his right and sat by his side. The moment her buttocks touched the floor, any semblance of calmness and patience disappeared from Naruto's face.

"Okay, what the hell!?"

"Whaa!" Hanabi jerked away from Naruto's sudden outburst, her eyes the size of ping-pong balls. "Wha…what?"

"What the hell was that marriage thing about, all of a sudden!? What sort of crazy idea have Mayumi-chan and the others convinced you to go with this time!?"

Hanabi stiffened. "No! No! This……" Her expression shifted to a downcast look… "This……" …which quickly changed back into a mirror of desperation. "I really want to marry you, Naruto-nii-" She quickly corrected herself. "Naruto-sama………"

It hurt. For some reason he could understand, for some reason he **didn't**** want **to understand, it hurt.

"Cut that out."

"…eh?"

"Stop calling me that. It pisses me off."

Her head still low, Hanabi nodded. "Ye-yes, Naruto-san."

She shrieked when Naruto slammed a hand on the wall. For the first time, and unfortunately, not for the last time, she was frightened by Naruto.

"Naruto-nii-chan." He practically growled.

"Wha-what?"

"Naruto-nii-chan. That's how you always call me. That's how you should call me. Not 'sama' or any other crap like that. Save that for when I become Hokage……no, forget that. Just never call me that again."

His expression suddenly relaxed and he offered a friendly smile at his dear friend and student.

"I wouldn't mind 'sensei', though……"

They stared at each other for a while. One was smiling, the other one……the other one didn't really know what to feel. She went with crying and jumping to her best friend's arms.

"Naruto-nii-chan!!!"

Naruto didn't hesitate to return the hug, but he also knew he had to deal with the people outside. He had noticed the failed attempts at opening the door as soon as he locked it, but there had been no sounds for a while, which unsettled him greatly.

"_**Kage Bunshin no Jutsu**_."

Half a dozen clones appeared, awaiting for orders. "Make sure that door remains closed."

They hurried to add more seals to the door and hold it with their bodies if it became necessary. After that, Naruto fully focused on the problem at hand.

"Ne, Hana-chan, what's wrong?"

The girl explained the core of the problem two sobs later. "She……my private teacher….she told me……she told me everything……about the Curse Seal."

Naruto frowned. The Curse Seal. Of course he already knew about it. Being so close to the Hyuuga Clan (well, to the female members of the Hyuuga Clan, mostly), he had already been instructed into the ways of the most prestigious family in Konohagakure. He didn't like it and he didn't make any sense of it, but who was he to criticize the Hyuuga's wacky ancient traditions? But what could that have anything to do with Hanabi?

He didn't need to ask.

"Hinata-onee-chan will become the next Clan Leader, and then Father and the council will arrange my marriage, and I'll get the Curse Seal when I get married!! If I'm getting the seal anyway I'd rather marry Naruto-nii-chan!!!"

Naruto couldn't stop himself from blushing. After all, this girl in front of him had just said she wanted to marry him, even if she was only seven years old and didn't understand the full extent of what she was saying. Despite everything, the emotion in her words reached him, making it difficult for him to gather the appropriate words to deal with this situation.

"Hana-chan."

Holding her from under her armpits, he lifted her and let her rest on his lap. It wasn't the first time, and it wouldn't be the last.

"You're an itty bit too young to be thinking about marriage. Hell, **I'm** too young to be thinking about marriage!"

"But……"

"No buts!" Naruto almost chuckled at the way Hanabi stiffened after his little outburst. "Hana-chan, you're awesome. You wouldn't be my best friend if you weren't."

"I'm your best friend?" Hanabi blinked in the cute way only cute little girls can blink.

"Of course! You're the one I spend the most time with! And we always have a blast together, don't we?"

The youngest Hyuuga sister grinned widely. "Yup!"

Naruto returned the grin. "That reminds me, we so have to pull a prank together. I suggest Sasuke for our victim. That would be awesome."

Hanabi shrugged. She didn't really care, as long as she had fun. Since she always had fun with Naruto, she cared even less.

"Anyway, you are a great friend, Hana-chan. So you'll have no problem finding some guy who will really, really like you. You will also like this guy and you'll be very happy together……and stuff. Even if your father does arrange your marriage, it would probably be with a really cool guy!"

Hanabi pouted. "Nobody's as cool as you, Naruto-nii-chan."

"Well duh! I'm gonna be the most badass ninja in existence, after all. Right?"

"Yup!" Hanabi nodded eagerly.

"So, your husband won't be nearly as cool as me, he'll be pretty cool anyway. And if he's not nice to you I'll kick his ass, so you don't have to worry about that either."

Naruto gently tapped Hanabi's forehead. "And you don't have to worry about the Curse Seal. Nobody will put that ugly thing on you."

His face became dead serious.

"I won't let them."

And Hanabi knew she had nothing to fear. But, just in case…… "You promise?"

"Of course."

A couple of minutes later, once Hanabi's tears had dried out and her kimono was replaced by her usual training _**gi**_, Naruto dispelled both his shadow clones and his security seals. With a smile on his face, he opened the door to find the most unusual sight. Hiashi, Hinata, Saya, Atsuko and Mayumi were calmly enjoying their tea and snacks, seated on cushions on the wooden floor in front of the dojo.

"So, who convinced Saya-kaa-chan not to take down the door?"

"I did." Hiashi declared. Naruto raised an eyebrow.

"And how convinced **you** not to do it, Hiashi-san?"

"That would have been me, Houraisan-sama." Atsuko admitted.

"Great. So, you coming in or what?" Naruto had turned their back to them when Hiashi spoke again.

"What happened just now?"

Naruto shrugged. "I was helping Hana-chan with her warm-up exercises."

Certainly, Hanabi was in the middle of the room, performing some simple stretches. Hiashi's gaze narrowed.

"So you didn't ask Naruto to marry you just some minutes ago, Hanabi?"

Hanabi stared at her father as if he had a giant bug on his face. Then, she giggled.

"Father, don't tell me you're already hearing things. You are not that old."

Hinata gasped. Mayimi giggled. Atsuko demurely covered her mouth with her right hand. Hiashi developed a nasty twitch on his right eye. Naruto and Saya exploded in laughter. Naruto's was promptly interrupted when Hanabi hugged him tightly, looking up at his faux eyes.

"Father wants me to marry you, Naruto-nii-chan."

"I didn't-"

"Saa, that seems to be the case, Hana-chan. Probably as part of some convoluted Hyuuga political machination."

Hanabi blinked. "Those were a lot of complicated words, Naruto-nii-chan."

"Learned them from Shiki-sensei. So, what do you think? Marriage, huh?"

Atsuko and Mayumi were shooting knowing glances at each other. Saya was almost crying in laughter, not at the young duo's antics, but at Hiashi's gradually increasing irritation. Hinata just **stared**.

"Well, I do like you a lot, Naruto-nii-chan." Hanabi stated as if it was the most obvious thing. Naruto nodded in a sagely manner.

"I also happen to like you a lot, Hana-chan. Maybe we **should** get married."

"WHAT!?"

Master and student laughed together, deciding they had gone far enough. They both knew there was a limit on how much they could strike at Hyuuga Hiashi's nerves.

Still clinging to Naruto's body, Hanabi turned her attention to someone else.

"What's wrong, Hinata-nee-chan?"

Hinata blinked and stared impassively at her little sister, just like she had been doing for some time already (which caught Hanabi's attention on the first place).

"……no……" She swallowed the blood that poured out of her tongue after having bitten it, ignoring, and maybe even reveling in, its bitter taste.

"……it's nothing."

* * *

The day of graduation approaching meant that his days of having lunch with Sasuke were coming to an end.

It also meant his days as Hanabi's teacher would probably end, too. Which totally sucked.

Back to Sasuke, though. Everyone had already gotten used to the fact that Naruto was the only person Sasuke spoke two, unless Naruto somehow encouraged him into speaking with others. Everyone had also gotten used to the two sitting together on the exact same seats for the last four years, as well as to the two having lunch together.

"Ne, ne, can I have some of that?" Naruto said at the same time he grabbed a shrimp from Sasuke's boxed lunch.

"Hey!"

"Man, this is good!" Naruto exclaimed as he enjoyed the tiny piece of seafood. "What is this?"

"My lunch." Sasuke growled. "As in mine, not yours. You have your own lunch. Eat it."

"Aw, come on, it will be better if we share. Now, give me one of those squared thingies…"

"NO!" Sasuke grabbed his lunch and moved it away from Naruto's prying chopsticks. "Eat. Your Own. Damn. Lunch."

"Come on, Sasuke! I just want to share! See, I'll give you some of mine." He grabbed a piece of his tempura and offered it to the Uchiha. "Here, bastard. Open your mouth."

"Wha-what!? I'm not gonna let yo-" His sentence was interrupted by his unwilling consumption of tempura. It was a good thing Naruto couldn't see the deadly glare on Sasuke's face as he chewed.

"Good, isn't it? Now, since I'm such a great guy, I'll give you something else, and then I'll take some of your stuff. Here, have some _**daikon**_. Mouth."

"No-" Sasuke managed to turn his head away from the incoming pickled vegetables, but that only mean his left cheek received them.

The last scion of the Uchiha Clan was conceiving multiple ways to assassinate one Houraisan Uzumaki Naruto as he felt the piece of food rubbing his cheek annoyingly.

"Sasuke! Why did you do that!? Now take it properly…"

"OW! YOU POKED MY EYE!!!"

"Ah? I did? Ah, sorry, can't aim very well. Blind and all that stuff, you know……let me try again……"

"**OWWW!!!**YOU DID IT AGAIN!!! YOU'RE DOING IT ON PURPOSE!!!!! AND THAT THING IS SOUR!!!"

"Well, duh. It's marinated in vinegar. And you're too loud. I have sensitive hearing; it hurts me."

"Are you trying to make me blind like you!?"

"If you stayed still you wouldn't be in pain right now. Now let me-"

"Knock it off already!"

"Oh, shut up and let me feed you, teme!!!"

An uncomfortable silence filled the entire classroom. If the two's little scene hadn't caught the attention of someone in the classroom, this changed after Naruto's loud…and unusual, demand.

Sasuke gritted his teeth, forcing himself to be a sea of calm in the sheer……craziness of the whole situation.

Too bad it didn't really work.

Naruto stiffened when Sasuke slammed a hand on the desk, making the boxed lunches jump, and used the other hand to grab Naruto's cheongsam and pull Naruto's face dangerously close to his.

"Listen to me well, Naruto." He hissed. Naruto weakly tried to push himself away.

"Uh, Sasuke, I get it. Bad joke. Heheh……"

"Keep your voice down, you immense dobe!!!"

"Ye-yes!"

"QUIET!!!"

Naruto clamped his mouth shut.

"Do you have the slightest idea of what you're doing!?" Sasuke continued; making sure his voice reached Naruto and Naruto only.

"Uhh……trying to share my lunch with you?"

"NO! Look over there."

Naruto followed Sasuke's head gesture. "So? Your fangirls."

"Yes. My……fangirls." Sasuke muttered bitterly. "Did you already forget the horror that fangirls are?"

"Hell no." Naruto admitted. "But I don't see what that has to do with-"

"Dobe!!!" Sasuke's eyes were bloodshot at this point. "You're making them evolve!!!"

Naruto blinked. What was Sasuke up to?

"Evolve?"

"YES!!! Into _**yaoi **_fangirls!!!"

Sasuke stayed still for a few seconds, as if waiting for the weight of his words to hit Naruto. Seeing no such reaction, he just let go of the blond.

"So just shut up and eat your damn lunch."

Ignoring Naruto's blank look, Sasuke returned to his own meal, eating it calmly and, most importantly, quietly. Naruto, however, didn't do the same. However, he actually pondered the intelligence of opening his mouth again before he actually did it.

"Ne, Sasuke……" Naruto spoke. While his voice wasn't particularly loud, it was easy for everyone in the classroom to hear him.

Sasuke gritted his teeth again and took a deep breath. "……what?"

"What's_** yaoi**_?"

An even more uncomfortable silence invaded the classroom like a chilling fog that swallowed everything. Once again, Naruto's blindness prevented him from witnessing an incredible sight, namely the spectrum of faces Sasuke made in the span of a few seconds. He did notice some whispering and pointing from the fangirl corner, but that didn't interest him. His expanded _**Senrigan **_also showed him that, for some reason, Hinata had slammed her forehead on her desk.

Noticing the shaking of Sasuke's hands, Naruto turned his attention back to his friend.

"So? Umm, Sasuke?"

"DOBEEEEE!!!!"

No amount of reflexes helped Naruto against Sasuke's sudden onslaught. A second later, the two were rolling and scuffling on the floor, until they reached a standstill with Naruto's hands pushing Sasuke's arms and Sasuke's hands closed around Naruto's neck.

"I'm gonna **kill** you!!! I'm gonna kill you, and then I'm going to kill myself!!! Screw Itachi, screw Mother, screw **everything**!!!!!"

"Ack! Sasu…..can't……ugh……"

"Sasuke-kun!!!"

A high-pitched scream seized the classroom's attention. Sasuke noticed the circle of children who had been watching the display with rapt attention. He focused on the source of the voice: a shaking, blushing Yamanaka Ino, who promptly flinched at the feral glare she got from her crush. However, she gathered her courage and spoke in behalf of her entire group of friends.

"Sa-Sasuke-kun, ple-please do-don't……" She fidgeted with her fingers in the same way everyone had seen Hinata do hundreds of times.

"Please don't be so rough with Naruto-kun!!! He's not enjoying it!!!"

While Naruto's mind tried to figure out how anyone could enjoy being strangled, Sasuke digested what Ino had said, taking him half a second to realize what she **really** had said.

That sent him over the edge.

"**AAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!**"

The entirety of Konoha heard the scream of sheer pain and frustration of one Uchiha Sasuke. It was soon followed by the noises of every animal in a two-mile radius.

* * *

**Author's Notes: **Well, this is it. The first chapter of Fantasia.

I do have to apologize for changing the story name **again**. I decided to post the whole story as a single fic, unlike what I do with GOSPEL. I promise there will be no more name changes.

I am quite pleased the little interlude I added before this fulfilled its purpose of making you go "WTF!?" I just wrote a few thousand words about them, and I'm already fond of Marisa and Reimu. I'm looking forward to the next interlude.

Those who saw my preview over at the Rokudaime forums might have noticed I omitted the Rock Lee scene I promised. I've actually delayed that scene for quite some time, but I really want it to be perfect. It will be in the next chapter, that's for sure.

And, no, even if I have no qualms against other people's sexual preferences, I do **not** enjoy reading yaoi, and not even torture will make me write it. Not gonna happen. Marisa is not the product of a homosexual relationship, after all (mpreg is physically impossible……unless you're a seahorse, that is).

Well then, next chapter! Exams, exams and more exams! Academy exams, Houraisan exams……and Rock Lee.

* * *

_**The Elegant, Tomboyish Princess of Dragons**_

**Ryuuguu Hina** (竜宮 雛)

**Name:**Ryuguu (竜宮, Palace of the Dragon God) Hina (雛, Doll)

**Species:**Goddess (Half-Dragon)

**Agenda:**Action

**Arts:**Too many to count

**Age:**453 years

**Residence:**Autumn Mountain, Suwa region, _**Taki no Kuni**_

**Shrine:**Jade Dragon's Waterfall

**Description:**full-body-long blond hair, large green eyes, pale skin. Like all dragons and half-dragons, she can change her appearance at will, but his generally prefers to take either her real appearance (resembling of a female human sixteen to nineteen years old) or a younger version of her real self.

**Shinjutsu**

**118**

**Taijutsu**

**124**

**Intelligence**

**120**

**Chakra**

**--/117**

**Divine Rank**

**A**

The second daughter of Ryuuguu Otohime, the (at that time) princess of dragons and the human fisherman, Urashima Tarou, Hina, like her sisters, is a half-dragon. This is a cause of conflict and disconcert among dragonkind, as the Dragon Queen Otohime has no heir with pure draconic blood. Hina's actions in her short (in draconic terms) life haven't been much help, in fact. While she quickly proved to be the most talented and powerful of the three half-dragon princesses, she also proved to be a free spirit, wild and uncontrollable, and unwilling to even aspire to take the mantle of heiress of the Ryuuguu dynasty. This led to a series of clashes with the elder dragons and with her mother, concluding with her definite departure from the Dragon King Palace at the age of 167. She spent the next two hundred years or so roaming the world and avoiding those sent after her. In these years of ceaseless travelling she fully blossomed in beauty, intelligence and power, proof that, despite her status as a hybrid, the draconic blood is strong within her.

She has currently taken residence in Suwa after reaching an agreement with the goddess at the top of the mountain. Bored and tired of roaming the world (for a while, at least), she devotes her days to sleeping. When she does wake up, she studies whatever topic grabs her attention. She admires human creativity, and sometimes she approaches sages, monks, savants and scientists (disguised, of course) to learn from them.

Oh, and she's addicted to Taiyaki.

**Author's Comments on Hina: **Hina, like the rest of the Ryuuguu family, is actually inspired by the homonymous character in the H-Game "Little My Maid." Only she was a mermaid in that game, not a dragon. Her loli form (and the bigass dragon headpiece thingy) comes from a loli dragon goddess character I saw in this H-manga which name I forgot. I just saw her and thought "Hey, she looks pretty cool! I'll use her!"

Oh, and please check my profile the day after tomorrow for the stats guide. I just gave up on the official Naruto stats. They kinda fail when you start adding deities to the mix.


	14. Seeds of the Leaf

**Disclaimer:**I don't own Naruto. I own many things. Just not Naruto. Very special thanks to Ike, also known as MogtheGnome. Those familiar with this fics will know why.

* * *

_**Naruto Fuujinroku**_

_**鳴戸**__** -風神録-**_

**First Chronicle:**_** Fantasia of Apotropaic Esoterica**_

**Chapter Two**

_**Seeds of the Leaf – Path of the Ninja**_

* * *

"Aaah!" Hinata cried as she fell on the grass, flat on her butt. Saya retracted the hand she had used to effortlessly knock her student off. 

"You're distracted."

Hinata frowned because her sensei was right.

"Don't pay attention to them. In a real fight, you would already be dead."

"Bu-But, Naruto-ku-"

Hinata couldn't finish her sentence once Saya's left foot impacted with her face, sending her down to eat dirt.

"Don't be so pathetic, Hinata, you're making me sick. Focus on **your **training, or I'll hurt you. A lot. You can play with those two as much as you want, **after** training."

Hinata whined and swallowed some blood. She ordered herself to focus, for she knew Saya would be true to her threats.

But what was keeping Hinata distracted and unfocused on her Taijutsu training?

Well, a few dozen yards away……

"And this is the circular motion. Don't forget that your wrist rotates as you move your arm, first in one direction and then on the other." Naruto, standing right behind his apprentice, held her arms to guide them on the motions for one of the signature moves of _**Yokazeryuu**_: the Wind Dragon Palm, _**Furyuushou**_.

"Yes, got it." Hanabi declared, following the motion of her arms with her white eyes.

"The stance is also important." Naruto declared as he let his right hand rest on Hanabi's thigh, gently sliding it to the underside and pushing so as to make her open her legs a bit wider. "If your stance isn't firm, your own wind will screw up your balance."

"Naruto-nii-chan, that tickles." Hanabi commented, followed by a cute giggle.

"Ah? Ah, sorry." He went back to holding her arms.

"The problem with _**Yokazeryuu**_ is that it's weak." Naruto explained as he moved Hanabi's arms in the same circular motion again and again. "Wind is does whatever the hell it wants, so it's hard to control it without hand seals. That's why we have to do this. Look at me."

Letting go of Hanabi, he walked a few steps backwards, waiting for the girl to turn around to face him. Once she did, Naruto assumed a stance and began to make the motions by himself. "Use your _**Byakugan**_."

"The first thing you do is eject your wind chakra to the air around you. Then you use your arms and your chakra to make the air move with you so that it gathers around your hand." When Naruto's right arm was crossed around his head, the hand pointing backwards, he smiled. "Then you release it."

"_**Furyuushou**_!!!" Shoving his hand forward in one rapid motion, Naruto unleashed a small cyclone in front of it. Hanabi closed her eyes as the scattered winds blew leaves and dust all over the place.

"There are two problems." Naruto continued. "The moment you release the wind, it blows out of control. Air is just gas, it tries to fill out space, it doesn't move in a single direction. The second problem is power. There's only so much wind you can gather in this way. Ninjutsu doesn't have this problem, that's why _**Fuuton**_ jutsu are powerful and Wind Taijutsu…well, it isn't so much. You will never really hurt anyone with _**Furyuushou**_. The point of the technique is the whole knocking-back effect. Saya-kaa-chan calls it 'battlefield control'."

Hanabi tilted her head. "Then how do you make really strong attacks?"

Naruto smirked. "Saya-kaa-chan won't tell me. She said I have to figure that out myself. Now, you practice the motions, and don't use_** Byakugan**_. That's cheating. You have to get a feel for the flow around you. Like your sister. Check it out."

"Now this is much better!"

Hinata was relentlessly attacking with her hands coated in flames. Saya's hands were also bathed in flames fed by her own chakra, which she used to parry her student's attacks.

Hinata's left hand went for a straight thrust which Saya pushed outwards with the back of her right hand. The Hyuuga girl's other hand went for a low blow, but Saya's left hand grabbed Hinata's fist and pushed it to the right. Hinata winced as Saya's flames overwhelmed her own and seared her skin.

"Concentrate, Hinata. Let your flame be your mantle. My flame shouldn't hurt you."

Hinata responded by pushing Saya's right hand back inwards, leaving Saya's face within reach of her left hand. The Taijutsu expert did notice this and let go of Hinata to quickly move to the girl's right, but the heiress immediately spun clockwise while her right hand made an ample upwards arc. Saya reacted by taking a step backwards, which allowed her to evade the trail of flame Hinata's hand left in the air as it moved.

"Good, but you need to be faster than that!"

Naruto turned back to his student. "Hina-chan's fire style is a bit easier because she's the one creating the flames, so it's just a matter of chakra control. We don't create our wind; we use out chakra to move the air around us. To do that we need both elemental chakra control and the right katas. Now, get to practicing."

"Yes, Naruto-nii-chan!"

Naruto smiled. It was good to teach such a good student. Naruto was realistic: he knew Hanabi's Taijutsu would surpass his. It was just a matter of when.

That suited him just fine. He was becoming more of an all-rounder, blending Taijutsu, _**Fuuton**_ Ninjutsu and _**Fuuinjutsu**_ to make a fighting style all of his own. He greatly regretted his deficiencies using Genjutsu, but it was impossible for him to learn how to manipulate his opponents' senses when his own were lacking. Besides, even if he couldn't use illusions, his blindness and his wind manipulation made him a nigh-impenetrable fortress against enemy Genjutsu.

A familiar tingling feeling in his head summoned his attention. A few yards away, Saya effortlessly batted Hinata away like a mosquito and gazed at somewhere in the thick sea of tress surrounding their house. Ever since Shiki taught Naruto _**Hakke Happou Fuuin Kekkai **_and modified the barrier surrounding the Houraisan grounds to include him, the boy had gotten quite familiar with the sensation felt when the barrier was trespassed.

The visitor announced herself the moment she noticed she was being watched.

"Good day."

Hinata frowned. Saya raised an eyebrow. Hanabi acknowledged the newcomer with a glance and resumed her repetitions. Naruto smiled.

"Uchiha-san." Saya greeted the visitor. Uchiha Mikoto, wearing a rather plain yukata, bowed gently and elegantly.

"I see you are rather busy, Houraisan Saya-sama. I was unaware you had an apprentice."

"We are trying to keep it private."

"My lips are sealed." Mikoto smiled in a way that could only be described as "cute." Saya sighed. She would never admit it, but Uchiha Mikoto was one person she actually envied. The Uchiha lady was the embodiment of feminine Saya was never able to become.

Mikoto turned to the Houraisan heir. "Well met, Naruto-kun."

"What's up, nee-chan!?"

Saya felt like slamming her hand on her forehead. She had already figured out manners were the one thing Naruto would never absorb like a sponge. Mikoto, however, seemed unbothered by the boy's choice of greeting.

"I am quite well. Thank you for looking after my Sasuke-kun at the Academy." She bowed to the blonde, who nervously scratched the back of his head at the gesture.

"Hehe……someone has to……I guess."

Mikoto giggled and Naruto couldn't stop himself from blushing and chuckling nervously.

"Indeed, indeed." The elegant and perfect Uchiha lady said softly. Hinata grumbled something under her breath. Hanabi was far more vocal.

"Naruto-nii-chan!!! Look at me!!!"

Naruto reacted like the one who is snapped out of a trance. "Ah!? Ah, right, right! Sure thing, Hana-chan! Talk to you later, Mikoto-nee-chan!!!"

Mikoto watched the boy supervise Hanabi's repetitions for about half a minute before turning to Saya, her face obviously requesting an explanation.

"My son has an apprentice of his own."

Sasuke's mother only tilted her head, her face shifted to display open surprise, clasping her hands together.

"My, how delightful!"

Saya walked away from Hinata and closer to Mikoto. The Hyuuga heiress fought the urge to shoot a deadly glare at the newcomer, knowing that Mikoto would easily notice it. She knew the lady had been an accomplished Jounin before becoming a mother. She didn't achieve the three-tomoe state of the _**Sharingan**_ by doing nothing, after all.

"So, what can I do for you, Mikoto-san?" Saya inquired, switching to first-name basis. Mikoto's perennial smile widened imperceptibly and the lady shook her head slowly.

"It is most unfortunate, but there is nothing you can do for me, Saya-san." Mikoto allowed herself to change honorifics. "It is your honorable husband I seek."

Saya couldn't stop herself from raising an eyebrow. "Shiki? How come?"

"I am in need of his erudition. It is a rather private matter, so I shall say no more. May I ask if he is available right now?"

Saya frowned just a little bit. For some reason Mikoto made her nervous at times. This was one of those times. It was the reason she was somehow glad to say what she was about to say.

"Sorry, but my husband is out for the moment. He got a summons from the Hokage, you see."

Mikoto's expression faltered for an instant, just enough for Saya and Hinata to notice. "Ah, that is most regrettable. In that case, I hope I won't be much of a bother if I wait for his return here, will I?"

It was Saya's turn to grumble. She couldn't believe herself. Feeling jealous at her age? Ridiculous.

* * *

"I cannot take a step further." 

Sarutobi nodded. "Thank you for coming, Shiki."

"I still don't understand why you needed me to come with you."

"I just can't get used to this, my friend."

"You've been here at least a dozen times, Saru."

"And I still can't get used to it. A bit too late for that, anyway."

Shiki slowly shook his head. "Whatever. Be careful, monkey."

Sarutobi followed Shiki's departing form with his aged eyes. He watched the Lord of Houraisan's short form disappear as he traveled up the secret staircase they had been traversing.

There were several reasons Sarutobi agreed to retake the mantle of Hokage after Kyuubi's attack and the Yondaime's death. Some of them were personal; he considered himself to be the only one who would be able to protect the baby vessel from his many enemies within the village itself. With the full backing of only the Inuzuka Clan and the Hyuugas, the latter following him only because of Hyuuga Himeko's influence over her husband, the newborn Naruto had too many potential enemies before even being aware of his surroundings.

However, expectedly, most of the reasons were sociopolitical in nature. He knew he was the most appropriate person to take the reins of Konohagakure after such a calamity as the advent of the nine-tailed Kitsune. Who better than someone who had already been acknowledged as a good Hokage? Both civilians and shinobi needed someone they could trust, as well as someone with enough commanding power to keep them all on a leash (he had only partially succeeded at this, though).

The other reason was that, besides him, the other immediate option would be either the missing Sannin or Danzou, and there was a rather formidable list of reasons he couldn't allow Danzou to become Hokage. Curiously enough, "Danzou is evil" is not one of these reasons, for the old ex-ANBU isn't really evil, just……misguidedly patriotic.

One of the most important (if not the most important) reasons Danzou could not be Hokage was at the bottom of that dark, damp, narrow secret staircase. It was the greatest secret of Konohagakure (among an extensive list of secrets kept by the Hidden Village), known only by the Hokages, the elders of the Aburame Clan, and the Houraisan (which shouldn't even know; they found out from a third source: Ryuuguu Hina).

The series of stairs began in Sarutobi's personal study in the ground floor of his family grounds; the same building that once belonged to the First and Second Hokages. They travelled under Konohagakure, changing from a wide, almost-horizontal passage to a narrow, dark, frighteningly vertical slope right under the Hokage Tower. It was somehow ironic that the secret rested right under Danzou's feet, concealed under the floor of the warmonger's "secret" _**Ne**_ headquarters.

The stairs continued in a dizzying spiral until the precise point Sarutobi had reached. The otherwise dark, bland scenery of sturdy rock walls and ceiling was interrupted by a simple structure that resembled a gate of some sort, being composed of nothing but larger-than-normal stone blocks with the familiar leaf symbol engraved on their surfaces. A particularly large leaf symbol towered above the old Kage's head. Unlike the standard Leaf symbol, this one seemed to be entangled in vines.

The only source of illumination was the tiny fireball that flickered over Sarutobi's right hand. He could have easily used a lantern, but it wouldn't be appropriate, diplomatically speaking. Even the tiny flame was risking it.

Sarutobi took a deep breath……and stepped forward. Nothing happened, but he still released a long sigh. He knew it was safe for him to go all the way down the stairs –it is a Hokage's privilege, after all–, but it still made him feel nervous. If Shiki had tried to do the same, he would have ceased to exist on the spot (or at the very least he would have suffered A LOT).

"I'm too old for this." He muttered to no one but himself. He had used that same sentence a bit too often in the last few years.

From that "gate," the spiral ended and became a straight staircase. It was so long it took the old Fire Shadow almost five minutes to reach the bottom. However, surprisingly enough, the temperature remained cool and fresh. Sarutobi had noticed this odd feature since his first visit and he had quickly associated it with the nature of what awaited for him below.

At the bottom, there was a pond. More precisely, two square-shaped ponds divided at the center by a narrow path. Unlike the walls and ceiling of the staircase, that were simply natural rock, this room was entirely artificial. The walls and ceiling were smooth hewn stone and the floor was made of identical foot-by-foot squares of stone. He made his way through the "bridge," not failing to notice the small colonies of fish that inhabited both ponds. The water creatures scampered away the moment they felt the vibrations of his steps.

Sarutobi wondered what those fishes ate to live.

On the other side of the room stood a stone door, the symbol of the Leaf proudly engraved on its surface. Sarutobi dismissed his flimsy illumination. He knew he wouldn't need it beyond that point, and carrying fire into the next room could get him killed.

Beyond that door awaited the reason for many things that made Konoha unique. Behind that door rested the reason behind Konoha's pseudo-religion, the "Will of Fire." Behind that door resided the reason behind Konohagakure's unique approach at ethics and moral values, one that directly conflicted with their status as a military, shinobi settlement.

Sarutobi sighed. It was time to meet the Goddess of Konohagakure.

"I am here, Morikawa-sama."

"Ah, San-kun. Do come in."

* * *

Saya deliberately took her time serving the tea. Shiki sat straightened on his large chair. Across his desk, Mikoto sat with the perfect posture of an elegant lady, her smile unchanging as warm tea was poured on two lovely blossom-motif ceramic cups on the desk. 

"Thank you very much."

Saya turned to her husband. Mikoto only saw the two exchanging a glance, after which Saya made her way out of the study room.

"I get the feeling you exchanged more than you glances just now, Houraisan-sama. Can you read each others' minds?"

Shiki smiled in amusement. "We do not need to. So, what is it that you need from me?"

Mikoto didn't answer, choosing instead to try Saya's tea. "Ah, this is…_**Tamaryokucha**_, right?"

"Indeed. Saya is fond of strong flavors."

"Wonderful. But I guess you are a busy man. I understand you had some business with Hokage-sama?"

"He requested my assistance, yes. Something minor. So……?"

"Ah, yes, yes, my bad. First of all, I'd like to extend my thanks for taking care of the Uchiha finances in my stead. I……" Mikoto actually lowered her head in mild embarrassment. "…I don't really have the slightest idea of how to handle such matters. I didn't know what to do with the Clan Grounds, either. When Hokage-sama proposed me to leave the clan's financial matters to the Houraisan Clan, I immediately agreed. I know I'm leaving them in good hands."

Shiki had listened in silence. He managed to hold back his chuckling until she was done.

"Ho-Houraisan-sama?"

"Ah, Mikoto-san, my apologies. The thing is; I'm not the one you should offer your gratitude to. I'm not the one managing the Uchiha patrimony. I already have my own matters to take care of; I don't have the time necessary for that kind of work. And I wasn't the one who went to the Hokage to discuss the Uchiha money on the first place. Your finances are been taken care of by my heir."

It wasn't very often that Mikoto felt surprise. She **was** a kunoichi, after all. An **Uchiha** to top it off. But Shiki's words did it.

"Na-Naruto-kun?"

"Yes, Naruto." Shiki declared, not bothering to hide his amusement at Mikoto's reaction as he enjoyed Saya's delicious tea. "His mind is bursting with ideas and he somehow finds time to do a thousand things every day. I guess his uncanny ability with _**Kage Bunshin**_ contributes greatly to this."

"But, how……?"

"Long story short, he got a hold of the Uchiha property records in the City Archives the first time he acted as Hokage-"

"Acted as Hokage?"

"That's another story. Anyway, he saw that nothing had been done since the clan's……annihilation and asked Sarutobi about it. Saru admitted he didn't really know what to do with all that money and property, especially considering it all belongs to you and your child now. About a month later Naruto showed the Third a scroll as long as I am tall, explaining his 'Houraisan Plan for the Bastard's Money'. By 'bastard', he meant-"

"Sasuke." Mikoto shook her head, but her expression didn't show a hint of annoyance. "I know."

"Yes." Shiki nodded. "Anyway, Sarutobi got your approval, and that's it. Most of your husband's paperwork is in Naruto's bedroom now. If he didn't know how to use storage seals he'd be flooded in paper, the poor lad."

"But, how can he…?"

"Naruto has more theoretical knowledge of economy than most Kages or Daimyos learn in their lifetimes. What Kages and Daimyos have in spades that Naruto lacks is hands-on experience, which is why I'm letting Naruto do this. I do keep an eye on him, of course. I assure you I will intervene in case he makes any critical mistakes. So far, however, he has done just fine. He has had both loses and gains, but that's normal in the money world. Your clan's balance remains positive and overall just around 3 lower than it was by the time Itachi defected."

"But, how can he……I do not mean to offend, but……"

"He's blind."

"Yes."

"His blindness does not stop him from pursuing the shinobi career._**Senrigan **_grants him a unique form of perception. It does, however, hamper his attempts at reading, which might be the problem you are suggesting. Fortunately for him, he has all the secretaries and assistants he needs and more among the Hyuuga Clan. They are helping him rewrite every single document to a size he can actually read. Even then, he has told me that reading demands too much chakra, so most of the time he just has someone read things for him."

"I see. In that case, I have nothing more to say." Her expression regained its usual content smile. "I do guess I should not reveal this to my son. He wouldn't be happy to know we are being fed by Naruto-kun of all people."

"I guess not. Oh, now I remember; Naruto has just gotten started with the Uchihas' properties outside Konoha. He might look for you about that."

"I will help him in every way I can."

"That you should. But I take it this wasn't the only thing you needed to discuss with me."

Mikoto gently lowered the hands that held the teacup after one long sip. "Certainly, it isn't."

"I would greatly appreciate it if you could tell me everything you know about the _**Mangekyou Sharingan**_."

* * *

Hyuuga Hinata was in the middle of a dilemma. 

Sitting on the ground of the schoolyard with the other female students in her class, she was waiting for her name to be called. It was the final Taijutsu test they would have. As such, it would influence their chances of taking the final exam to graduate out of the Academy.

She wasn't nervous. Why should she? For some stupid reason the teachers only set up same-gender matches. Hinata was absolutely sure she could obliterate any of her female classmates in Taijutsu……if she used_** Karyuu**_. Even without _**Karyuu**_, her subpar _**Jyuken**_ and the standard Academy Taijutsu should be enough to make all the girls but Yamanaka Ino and Okimoto Ami nothing but pushovers. Even those two, the strongest at Taijutsu (after her), were no match against Hinata's superior speed.

The matter was that she wasn't supposed to show that superiority. She was supposed to be cute, shy, quiet Hyuuga Hinata. Insecure, self-conscious, unable to lift a hand to hurt anyone (she found this last part hilarious). It was the reason she wasn't the top student instead of the Uchiha or Haruno Sakura……even if the idea of people thinking **Haruno Sakura** was better than her made her feel sick inside. No offense towards the pink-haired girl, but……just no.

She had already decided not to show her Taijutsu skills. The question was a lot simpler: should she win her fight, or should she lose?

Until some time ago, she had been determined to win; to impress Naruto. She had wanted to feel his approving gaze, to be congratulated and praised after the test. Maybe he would even hug her! And kiss her! And then he'd take off his pants……

Hinata blinked, quickly lowering her head to hide the blush on her cheeks._Now where did that come from?_

However, after witnessing Naruto's performance on his test, she was having second thoughts……

"_Houraisan Uzumaki Naruto versus Uchiha Sasuke, begin!" Gray-haired Mizuki-sensei announced loudly._

"_I'm so going to enjoy this, dobe." Sasuke's smirk was just evil. Naruto rolled his mediums._

"_How many times have I told you; I'm not into that stuff!!!"_

"_Kyaah!" went the chorus of now-evolved fangirls, some of them even holding each other for support._

"_DIE!!!" Sasuke performed an outstanding display of enhanced-speed and the next thing everyone saw was his right fist thoroughly ruining Naruto's face……until the blonde disappeared with a poof of smoke, to be replaced by a log._

"_Wha-!?" Sasuke stopped himself. He felt Naruto's breath on the back of his neck. Naruto grinned and filled his lungs with air._

"_LOOOOOOOOOOOOOGGED!!!!!!!!"_

"_Waaaah!!!" Sasuke jumped several meters forward, startled by Naruto yelling in his ear. The playful Houraisan's laughter only infuriated him further._

"_You've been 'logged', teme!"_

"_Shut up!!!"_

The fight continued pretty much the same way: Naruto driving Sasuke mad with endless repetitions of _**Kawarimi no Jutsu**_ (Mizuki-sensei and Iruka-sensei spent ten whole minutes after the match getting rid of all the logs) until Mizuki-sensei scolded Naruto, reminding him that, even if both _**Bunshin**_ and _**Kawarimi**_ were allowed, it was still a Taijutsu test. After that, Naruto had used nothing but standard Academy Taijutsu, and he was quickly defeated by the Uchiha.

Hinata had no doubt in her head: Naruto would have defeated Sasuke if he had used _**Yokazeryuu**_. Even the _**Kawarimi**_he used wasn't really such, but _**Fuuton: Kawarimi**_. But he didn't, therefore he lost. He did pass the test, as he showed he could do the basic Taijutsu just fine. But he still lost.

So, she decided to do the same. It wasn't the proper time to fully display what she was capable of, so she would use the standard Academy techniques. However, that still set her above any of her potential opponents. What to do?

"Hyuuga Hinata! Okimoto Ami! You're next!"

_Oh, fuck._

Hinata blinked. Had she just used the f-word?

* * *

Shikamaru couldn't relax. 

While the girls went through their Taijutsu test, the boys, who had already underwent the trial, had some free time before……whatever the teachers wanted them to do next. Hence, the lazy Nara had looked for a nice tree and relaxed under his shadow. His best friend, Akimichi Chouji, had obviously joined him, munching what he dubbed a "victory snack," celebrating his success in the Taijutsu test. Shikamaru was used to drowning the loud munching action of his best friend's teeth.

He wasn't used to having a third person by his other side.

For some unfathomable reason, Houraisan Uzumaki Naruto (_damn long name_, Shikamaru thought) had decided to join them in their loafing. For a moment, Shikamaru wondered why Naruto wasn't pestering Uchiha Sasuke (something Shikamaru always enjoyed to watch). Then his curiosity shifted to why Naruto had gone to him, Nara Shikamaru, of all people.

Naruto was obviously trying to imitate Shikamaru; resting on the grass, looking up the swaying branches of the tree and further up at the fluffy clouds. Of course, Shikamaru was doing all the watching. There was nothing Naruto could see, which led to the obvious conclusion.

Naruto was bored.

Noticing how Naruto squirmed anxiously next to him, Shikamaru rolled his eyes. Just what was Naruto trying to prove?

Shikamaru knew Naruto was his diametrical opposite. The heir of Houraisan always seemed to have something to do, and he seemed to greatly enjoy being so busy. It is obvious he would quickly lose interest in, well, doing nothing.

"Oi, Naruto."

"What?" Naruto jerked his head to face Shikamaru, which almost scared the taller guy. It was a bit unsettling, having that blindfolded face so close.

"What exactly are you doing?"

"Eh……" Naruto scratched his chin. "…watching the clouds?"

Shikamaru sighed. "Naruto……"

This was the cue for Naruto to explode. "Oh, come on!!! Don't tell me this is everything you do!!!"

"Well……yes. Yes, it is."

"Come on!!!" Naruto repeated even louder, causing Shikamaru to cringe. Chouji was doing his best at ignoring the loud blond, but he still had a smile on his face. It wasn't everyday Shikamaru's relaxation time (which seems to be almost all the time) was interrupted in such a way.

"This is boring!!!" Naruto declared.

Shikamaru groaned. Deciding he need not excuse himself to the loud Houraisan, Shikamaru turned back to watching the clouds.

"I enjoy it."

Naruto sat up, "looking down" at his classmate with an unreadable expression, made more unreadable by his blindfold. He stayed like that long enough to make Shikamaru feel uncomfortable, before he spoke.

"……how can you waste your time like that?"

They hurt.

Shikamaru hated to admit it, but Naruto's words **hurt**.

"Mind your own business." He found himself saying. That didn't deter Naruto from speaking his mind, though.

"You know, cool and interesting things to do will not just pop up in front of you." He smiled. "That's why I like _**Fuuinjutsu**_ so much. The challenges never end."

Shikamaru was about to retort with something, anything, when a chilling scream flooded the Academy, startling teachers and frightening the younger students. Shikamaru frowned. "That was……"

Chouji was already on one knee. "The girls!"

Naruto already had a lead of seven meters.

"Fast!!!" The two surprised youngsters exclaimed as one.

* * *

"A-Ano………" 

"AAAAHHGH!!!! IT BURNS, **IT BURNS!!!!!!"**

Hinata shivered, holding her hands together as if in prayer. Her face showed nothing but fear and confusion, which was shared by her fellow classmates.

What had just happened?

The particularly large female bully was crawling and rolling on the ground, scratching her body as if she wanted to disembowel herself using nothing but her nails, shrieking and screaming in a way that Iruka could only associate with the dungeons of the ANBU Torture and Interrogation Division.

"Mizuki! Take her to the infirmary, now!!!"

"Ah-right!!!" The gray-haired instructor, as startled as Iruka, needed a second to react and carry the girl away. This proved to be a challenge with all her shaking and screaming. Two other girls trailed him. The others followed them with their eyes. The male students had also shown up, nervous and intrigued, some more than others. Even random people from the street who had heard the horrible screams of pain tried to take a look and see what had caused the scene.

Hinata stood at the middle of it all. Whimpering, shivering Hinata, whose eyes seemed distant and lost in another world. The girls were shooting dubious looks at the Hyuuga heiress, unable to make anything of what had just happened. Iruka just didn't know what to think.

While Ami had boisterously made her way to the sparring area, lifting her chest and smirking confidently, Hinata had looked dubious and hesitant. Then came the taunting.

"_Aww, the little princess doesn't want to fight? The little princess doesn't want to get hurt?" Ami's fake pout turned into as sneer as she cracked her knuckles. "Tough luck, loser. You're going to get hurt. But then, maybe, if I make your eyes black enough, your little loser of a boyfriend might like you more! The blind loser and the Hyuuga loser!!!"_

Some of the girls actually chuckled at that. Iruka noticed that Haruno Sakura actually looked annoyed. Ino had narrowed her gaze just a little bit.

Hinata? Iruka was sure no one but he had noticed. Her shaking stopped, even if she was still looking down, the loose bangs of her hair covering her eyes. She remained still, unmoving, even when Ami assumed her stance.

This is when it got confusing.

The larger girl lunged at Hinata. Iruka had to praise her, for Ami's movements had been excellent for a Genin-aspirant. Decent chakra-control allowed her to get a good surge of speed with little chakra. Her stance was textbook perfect, attacking but making sure not to leave any gaps for a possible counterattack. Her strong build promised a painful right hook.

The next thing the girls saw was Ami falling on Hinata's feet, releasing a scream like nothing they had ever heard in their lives, clutching her body in undecipherable agony. Hinata hadn't moved. She only winced and gasped when her opponent fell in front of her.

Iruka saw more……or at least so he thought.

He wasn't really sure, but he thought he had seen Hinata's left arm moving. It had been a blur at best, but, if Iruka was right, Hinata had poked Ami's chest with no more than two fingers.

A _**Jyuuken**_ strike? Iruka had never seen a Gentle Fist attack prompting such a reaction from its target. Having your _**Tenketsu**_ closed hurts, of course, but not to the level of sheer desperation and agony Ami had displayed. Therefore, either Ami had ridiculously sensitive pain-receptors, or Hinata didn't use _**Jyuuken**_. Iruka wasn't even sure she had used anything, anyway.

* * *

"So, how was the test?" This was Saya's greeting to the two children the moment they entered the house. 

"Sasuke kicked my ass." Naruto muttered as he claimed one of the dining room's seats.

"I had a chance to test _**Kutsuu no Taiga**_."

Saya raised an eyebrow at that, but she didn't interrupt what she was doing: serving three cups of tea. "Really."

"Yes." Hinata nodded. "I learned that a single application is enough to severely incapacitate a pathetic twelve-year-old girl."

Naruto sweatdropped. "Hina-chan, that was really nasty……"

"It was necessary." Hinata declared with absolute conviction. "May I pick the scrolls, sensei?"

"Please."

Naruto "watched" Hinata's departing form as she left the main house towards Saya's dojo. "Scrolls?"

"I'm introducing Hinata to the medical arts…well, not really. So far I've just been reviewing anatomy and giving her a few tidbits on using chakra to heal." Saya gently placed two cups on the table. "So, what's this about Sasuke kicking your ass?"

"Well, I didn't use _**Yokazeryuu**_ or_** Tesabaki**_, so I had pretty much nothing."

Saya nodded. "Makes sense."

Naruto crossed his arms on the table and dropped his head on his arms. "_**Tesabaki **_is the only jutsu I have for attacking. I need some badass _**Fuuton**_ jutsu!"

"Can't help you with that. I don't know any."

"And Shiki-sensei won't teach me."

"Well, you already created three _**Fuuton **_techniques by yourself. What's stopping you from coming up with another one?"

"Yeah, I guess. I know I have _**Yokazeryuu**_, and I could use that, but, well, I'm supposed to be a Ninjutsu-type."

Saya couldn't hide her proud grin. "Oh, so my boy figured out how to really dish out damage with _**Yokazeryuu**_?"

Naruto returned the grin. "Ages ago, just haven't told Hana-chan. If I could figure it out, she can. Seriously, it's obvious if you think about it a little. I even came up with a new _**Yokazeryuu**_ move…well, it's not really new, it's just a bigass _**Furyuushou**_. It doesn't have a name yet……"

"_**Hakke Kyoufuushou**_."

"Huh?"

"It's called _**Hakke Kyoufuushou**_."

Naruto pouted a bit. "So it's not original?"

Saya rolled her eyes. "You just said it: it's just a bigass _**Furyuushou **_that actually hurts. You think no one has come with that idea before?" She playfully smacked the back of his head. "Idiot."

Naruto only grumbled something inaudible, before perking up again. "Ah, but I'm working on another one! And this one's **definitely** original!!! I just have to figure out the spinning……"

"Whatever, boy. So, how's your little girl?"

"Huh?"

"Hanabi."

"Ah, Hana-chan! She's awesome!" Naruto stood up in excitement. "She already got _**Furyuushou**_, so now she's working on _**Ranbushou**_! But really, she only needs to work on her chakra reserves; she learns so fast and catches things so quickly, it's really cool!!!" He sat down again. He had yet to touch his tea.

"So what comes after that?"

"Hmm……" Naruto took his "pensive" posture. "I guess it would be……how did you call it? _**Kyoufuushou**_. That one should take a while."

"And then?"

Naruto lowered his head. "And then……and then I wouldn't have anything else to teach her."

Saya, unlike Naruto, was greatly enjoying her tea. "But I take it she's having trouble with _**Ranbushou**_, right?"

Naruto smiled. "You can tell, eh? Yup, she's too small. Her hands are too small and her hits would be too weak to do _**Ranbushou**_."

"So, how are you working around that?"

Naruto shrugged. "Speed. Speed and wind bursts with every hit. She has to move faster than me to do _**Ranbushou**_. And she'll probably need fewer hits. She'll pretty much come up with a new combo."

Saya nodded. "That's my boy."

It was around that time that Hinata returned. Naruto asked Saya to let him stay and listen to her lecture, much to Hinata's surprise and joy. They had the final written exam the next day; therefore there was no point to Naruto studying for it. Unable to read, he was basically doomed to fail it.

* * *

The following day Naruto found himself in Shiki's office. Unrolled on the table rested the scrolls containing his answers to Shiki's general written test. 

As for the Academy written test earlier that day, as expected, Naruto had spent the whole time wracking his brains to come up with ideas for new jutsu and seals. Hinata was positive she had aced the exam.

For some reason, Sasuke was giving Naruto the silent treatment. Cue the yaoi fangirls coming up with all sorts of bizarre theories.

"I am very pleased with this exam, Naruto……even if near the end your calligraphy gets a bit jumbled……"

Naruto chuckled nervously and scratched the back of his head. "I was kind of in a hurry there……"

"That doesn't explain this sake stain over here."

"Anko did it. I had to rewrite the last questions because she spilled her sake all over my scrolls!"

"Oh. Anyway. You did surprisingly well in economics. I liked your lines on inflation."

"Heheh, thanks."

"Now, while I could praise your achievements for a while, I would like to talk a bit about the one question you skipped, Naruto."

Naruto nodded. Of course he remembered the question. It had been in his mind since the day of the test. No amount of studying and preparing himself for whatever Shiki would throw at him could have prepared him for such a question.

"_Clearly state the weaknesses of __**Fuuton: Fuujin Senrigan no Jutsu**__."_

"So, Naruto, did you skip it because you don't know the answer?"

Naruto crossed his arms.

"Hmm……I have an idea, but I get the feeling it's too simple for you, sensei. I know there's something you want me to figure out, I just don't know what."

Shiki smiled. "You know me well enough, boy. So, what can you tell me? About _**Senrigan**_'s weaknesses."

"Well, I know thick smoke blocks it. I guess the same goes with mist, fog and stuff like that." Shiki nodded. "But that's not much of a problem; I mean, I can just use wind to get rid of that stuff, right?"

Shiki nodded again. "Certainly. What else?"

"Umm…sometimes, when I'm walking around town, and there are a lot of people, it gets kinda messy. I mean, it all becomes one huge mess of freaky colors and I can't tell one person from the other."

"So large crowds confuse _**Senrigan**_. I guess using more chakra corrects that problem, right?'

"A LOT more chakra." Naruto nodded. "The option is controlling every single strand of wind current, but I would need, like, crazy chakra control to pull that off."

"True. Anything else?"

"Um……nope, not really."

Shiki nodded. As expected, Naruto hadn't figured it out. "Naruto, the worst weakness of _**Senrigan**_ is the way it works."

"Eh? How? Why?"

"Think about it. What does _**Senrigan**_ do? You release streams of wind-nature chakra to the air and use them to read the air currents around you. If necessary, you use your chakra to create those air currents. You create a cloud of chakra around you which feeds you information your brain converts into a visual output."

"So? What's wrong with that?"

Shiki sighed. Sometimes his heir could be quite slow.

"Stealth, Naruto. When you have _**Senrigan**_ active, you kill any and all chances at stealth."

"Any ninja worth its salt can at least feel strong chakra flows around him. Some ninja are specialists at sensing chakra. No matter how well you hide, no matter how good your stealth is, the only thing the enemy has to do to find you is look inside the big moving cloud of chakra. The only reason you managed to infiltrate the Hyuuga mansion during your Stealth exam was because you planned your entry extremely well, and for that you deserve praise, but, really, in a real infiltration mission your perception jutsu is a terrible liability."

Naruto's mediums had gradually widened as he heard Shiki's words and the truth behind them struck him like a ton of bricks. His mind was beating the shit out of itself for not figuring it out earlier.

When Shiki was done, he waited for Naruto's reaction. The boy remained still for a few seconds, obviously immersed in a world of his own, before voicing his reaction.

"What do I do?"

Shiki didn't waste time responding. "Figure out how to spend less chakra to get the same results. The cloud will always be there, but if you make it less dense, it will be harder to trace and outline."

"Chakra control."

"Yes."

Naruto groaned. "What about the cloud? I mean, even if I make it weaker, as long as it's there, there's a chance to find it, right?"

"Right."

"So, is there any way to get rid of it?"

"Well……" Shiki clasped his hands together and rested his elbows on the desk. He was absently staring at the scrolls on the desk, but his mind was working on a wholly different tangent. "I do have an idea, but……"

"Oh, just tell me!"

Shiki chuckled. The boy's enthusiasm was contagious. "The reason_** Senrigan **_works is because your wind-nature chakra interacts with the chakra in the air. By means of this interaction you can detect the presence or absence of air, as well as the temperature."

"The chakra in the air?"

"Remember, Naruto; there's chakra everywhere. Well, it's probably not appropriate to call it 'chakra'; it's nature it's different from **our** chakra, but the two energies can freely interact, like in _**Senrigan**_, so there must be some connection between the two."

Naruto closed his "eyes." "Uhh……I don't think I get it."

"I didn't expect you to. The relationship between chakra and these……environmental energies is still unclear, even to the knowledgeable like me. Anyway, back on topic. If you could directly……'tap' into the……let's call it 'chakra', of the air around you, you wouldn't need the cloud. I do guess you'd need to expend chakra when activating the jutsu……setting up some sort of connection between you and the air around you. But, other than that, you wouldn't need to use your own chakra, certainly not the constant expense you incur with _**Senrigan**_."

"Ugh……" Naruto scratched his right cheek. "…sounds really complicated. I didn't get half of that."

"I know." Shiki lowered his hands on the desk and leaned back on his comfortable chair. "I'm not sure I'm even making sense. Even then, that would go way beyond 'great chakra control'. That would be **absolute mastery of the Wind Element**."

* * *

"There's someone I would like you to meet, Lee." 

Those had been Gai-sensei's words; following Rock Lee's first successful execution of the _**Omote Renge**_ on an _**Iwa Bunshin**_ of the tall and eccentric Jounin (it had been, so far, the only display of Ninjutsu the Genin of Team Gai had seen from the man).

Right after that, Gai had dismissed both Tenten and Neji, saying that training was over for the day. The Hyuuga genius simply nodded and walked away, probably to train someplace else, his teammates thought. The truth was radically different.

He felt in the mood for a visit to the Hyuuga hot springs. He was sure it would be empty and available at that time.

Tenten, on the other side, was curious, so she asked her teacher if she could accompany them. Normally, she would be the first to run away from any strange Gai-Lee personal activity (_Oh, God, the spandex!!!_), but her sensei looked unusually serious about this. How could Neji just ignore such a thing was beyond her.

Gai simply declared that it was not up to him to allow or deny her presence, and walked away, urging Lee to follow him. Tenten didn't hesitate to follow them.

It didn't take her long to figure out their destination. Even if she didn't belong to a ninja clan, she, too, knew about the former Training Area 69, now officially labeled as the Houraisan Clan Grounds.

Then it hit her.

They were going to Naruto's house.

She didn't have time to wonder why before they arrived. And, indeed, the first thing they saw was Naruto. More precisely, Naruto's back.

"Yo! Ten-chan!!!" Naruto greeted without turning around to face them. "Uh……who are the other two? I think one is your sensei……"

"Ooh, greetings, Naruto-san!" Gai made himself known. "Good to see you are well. Lee?"

"Ah, ah, yes!" The shorter Gai-clone hastily bowed. "Sorry for the intrusion, Naruto-san!"

"Ah, no problem, no problem." Naruto waved a hand dismissingly. "I see, you changed your haircut. No wonder the shape was different."

"Hey there, Naruto." Tenten made a greeting gesture with her right hand.

"Training for the exams, Naruto-san?" Gai nodded approvingly. "That is great, great!"

Naruto chuckled. "Nah, not really. We only have Ninjutsu left, and that's the one thing I'm pretty confident in. I barely managed to make it through today's test. It's kind of hard for me to find traps……" Naruto tapped a side of his head. "…for obvious reasons."

The trio's expression softened. "I see." Gai stated. "So, what are you doing out here?"

"Me? Just practicing some tricks with exploding tags."

Gai would have sworn his lone female student had learned _**Hiraishin**_. Naruto hadn't finished his sentence when she was already next to him.

"Exploding tags, you said?"

There was an odd glow in her eyes Gai and Lee just **didn't** like.

"Yup!" Naruto nodded eagerly. "I'm trying to see if I can make different explosion shapes." He explained, showing Tenten a tag. She quickly noticed that some of the symbols were different from the tags she normally used.

"Where did you get these tags, Naruto? Did Shiki-sama make them for you?"

"Eh? Of course not! I made them myself!!!"

Gai and Lee actually heard Tenten's heart skipping a beat. Her gaze slowly shifted from the strange tag to Naruto's face. It was a good thing Naruto only took off his bandana when inside the house………or when in the hot springs with Hanabi and the Hyuuga ladies.

The expression on Tenten's face was unreadable.

"You……you can make your own exploding tags?"

Naruto, lovable clueless Naruto, only nodded proudly. "Yup, of course! I'm going to be a _**Fuuinjutsu**_ master, after all!"

With that said; Naruto swiftly attached the tag to a kunai and threw it upwards. Without the need for a hand seal, the tag exploded right above their heads, creating a perfect sphere of flame and smoke in the sky. It was a weak explosion (Naruto didn't want to kill himself or his friend, after all), but it was an **explosion**.

Naruto grinned and looked at the bun-haired Genin. Gai didn't like the glazed eyes with which she looked at the cloud of smoke floating above them.

Once again, **very slowly**, Tenten lowered her head to look at Naruto. She blinked once. Her lips were partially parted. She licked them. Her chest was doing some rather exaggerated heaves.

"Naruto……"

"Hmm?"

"……I want your babies."

"……eh?"

* * *

The sound of knuckles being cracked distracted Saya away from the scroll she was studying. 

"Hinata?"

Sitting in the middle of the dojo, the Hyuuga Hinata that should have been studying medical scrolls was staring at her teacher with a fierce, penetrating gaze.

"I don't really understand, but I suddenly felt a very strong urge to maim someone, Saya-sensei."

Saya blinked.

"Uhh…okaaaaay. I……I think we have visitors, so I'll just go check……right now. Yes. You stay here, dear, ok?"

She was outside two seconds later. "Weird……"

She quickly noticed the figures in the distance and easily recognized them. What she couldn't make a thing of was the scene they were involved in.

"Naruto! I'm begging you!!! You have to show me!!! **Please**!!! I'll do anything!!!!!" Tenten made the best sexy look she could come up with at her age (which was actually pretty damn good; too bad the boy can't see it). She was on her knees, having wrapped her arms around Naruto's waist.

"……anything……."

Lee gulped and turned to his teacher. "Gai-sensei, is that youthful?"

Gai could only shake his head. "I……honestly don't know."

"Of course it is!" Tenten grinned beautifully; resting her right cheek on Naruto's……crotch? To look at her teammate and sensei. "Think about it; with our personalities, Naruto and I would have lots of youthful babies!"

Lee's jaw dropped. It dropped even more when he realized Gai was actually considering the idea. It reached the grass when Gai offered the girl a thumbs-up.

"Yosh! I approve!!! Naruto-san, please give Tenten lots of youthful babies!!!"

"Eh?" Naruto repeated.

Tenten's grin was pure evil.

"I take my eyes off him for a while and you're whoring my child off, Gai-kun?" Saya made her presence known with these words. With swift steps, she was approaching Naruto and Tenten. "You ungrateful child you."

Gai's eyes filled with bright when he noticed the newcomer.

"Ooooohhh!!!! Saya-sensei!!!!! As usual, your beauty shines brightly like the blossoming flowers under the spring sun!!!"

**That** was enough to bring Naruto out of his Tenten-induced funk. Both he and the girl clinging to him raised an eyebrow in unison.

_What the hell!?_

Saya only smiled gently. "Thank you, Gai-kun, but that doesn't forgive you for not coming to visit in, what? Five years?"

Gai looked at everything but Saya before bowing profusely. "I'm sincerely sorry, sensei!!!"

"Uh-huh, right. So, why today, of all days?"

Gai's expression made a complete turn. He seized Rock Lee by his shoulders and placed the boy in front of him.

"Saya-sensei, this is Rock Lee. He performed _**Kaimon**_ today."

Saya's smile disappeared. "Ahh, that explains the dream."

Lee perked up at this last word. Nobody failed to notice it, not even Naruto.

"Hmm……" Saya's smile was almost predatory. "Boy……Lee, was it?"

"Uh, yes! Rock Lee, at your service!" He introduced himself with a courteous (if a bit hurried) bow.

"Right. So, Lee, did you have a dream last night? Do you happen to remember it?"

Everyone looked at Lee, who blushed a bit with all the attention. "Y-Yes, ma'am. I……I dreamt of a dragon."

Gai's eyes widened in a way that scared Tenten. Saya nodded. "Her scales were a light blue, kind of metallic, and it had long golden horns, blond hair and green eyes, right? She was resting at the base of a waterfall."

Lee frowned. "No, ma'am. The dragon I saw had dark blue scales. Its hair was long and black, and it had two short silver horns. Its eyes were blue, not green, and it was on some sort of garden. I remember it very clearly, ma'am, which is strange, because I usually do not remember my dreams."

It was Saya's turn to frown. _Black hair? Mari? It's obvious Hina was warning me about this kid with that image of herself. Why would Mari send her image to this boy? She has nothing to do with the Gates……_

Saving this information for later analysis, Saya moved to the task at hand.

"Ah, whatever. I guess it's time for The Talk, huh?"

Naruto jerked as far away from Saya as he could, actually dragging Tenten with him. "Th-Th-The Talk!? Wha-wha-why-wha……"

Saya rolled her eyes. "Oh, knock it off, you wimp. It's not **that** Talk."

Naruto still didn't feel safe. Saya just ignored him and turned to the two clad in green. "Follow me, you two."

"Uh?" It was Tenten's turn to react. "Gai-sensei? What about me?"

The Jounin shook his head."Sorry, Tenten, but this is an important and private matter."

Saya smirked evilly. "You can drag Naruto to the bushes and get started on that baby-making."

"The hell!?"

"Ah, right!"

Saya laughed. "Nah, just kidding. That said, I like you, girl. You've got spunk. Give the boy a few years, though."

"But I want exploding tags now……" Tenten whined.

"Exploding tags?" Saya inquired.

"Uh…Ten-chan, I can teach you how to make custom exploding tags……we don't have to……ugh……make babies."

"Really!?" Tenten's eyes became two deep, dark pools of cuteness. "So it's not a clan secret or something like that?"

"Umm, no."

"GREAT!!!" Before Naruto could react, Tenten was back on her two feet, had kissed his left cheek and was dragging him towards the house. "What are we waiting for, then!? Where's your bedroom?"

"Uhhh……" This was the only thing Naruto could utter as he allowed himself to be dragged.

"Naruto, take Hinata!!!" Saya yelled as the two moved away. "Tell her I have something important to do!!! And don't get crazy ideas with two girls in your bedroom!!! I'm not doing laundry until next week!!!"

Rock Lee could only blink. For the first time in, well, a long time, he was out of words. As for Gai……

"Naruto-san, I leave the lovely flower of Team Gai in your capable hands!!!"

"QUIET, YOU!!!" Tenten barked in the distance.

* * *

"The human body is a wonderful machine." 

Gai and Lee, seated _**seiza**_-style on the grass, followed Saya with her eyes. The Taijutsu Mistress walked aimlessly around them as she spoke.

"Human bodies possess physical limits. The human body can only work so far: maximum speed, maximum power, maximum endurance, maximum chakra. Therefore, it has ways to ensure these limits aren't reached. The human body takes care of itself. That is the purpose of the Gates."

"I'm sure I don't need to tell you just how dangerous the Gates are. You have already released the Initial Gate, and I'm sure Gai has already explained the risks involved in opening one or more Gates. It's obvious that forcing the body to work beyond its natural limits is something that simply shouldn't be done. I won't go into the physiological details, either. You have no use for that knowledge. Gai!!!"

The older of the green-clad shinobi was startled by Saya's sudden call. "Ye-Yes, Saya-sama!?"

As she turned to look at him, her expression became dead serious. "Why did you teach him how to open the Gates?"

Gai, too, responded with his most serious expression, dropping his left hand on Lee's right shoulder. "Because I want him to accomplish his dreams."

Lee shivered with emotion. He wanted to thank his sensei, but he knew it wasn't the moment to talk.

"Lee."

"Houraisan-sama?"

"What is your dream?"

"To prove that I can become a good shinobi with only Taijutsu, Houraisan-sama."

"Did you know of your disability before you entered the Academy?"

"No, ma'am. I am an orphan."

"Why didn't you drop out of the Academy when you were told of your incapability to manipulate chakra properly?"

Lee's eyes narrowed in fierce determination. "Because I want to be a shinobi, no matter what it takes."

Saya didn't hesitate to ask. "Why do you want to be a shinobi?"

"Because I do not see myself doing anything else, Houraisan-sama."

Saya's green eyes challenged Lee's dark pupils, but the Genin didn't hesitate. He didn't flinch. He didn't blink. His eyes were mirrors of his soul, and they told Saya everything she needed to know.

After a long moment of silence, Saya sighed and turned her back to the master and the student.

"In the beginning, there were only six, including myself. The original users of the Celestial Gates. Of those original six, I am the last. The other five died a very long time ago. None of them died of age. They all died by opening the Death Gate. The same story has repeated over and over throughout history, by my apprentices and the apprentices of the other Five."

"The Celestial Gates are a terrible thing, Lee, my boy. Once you learn how to open the Wonder Gate, opening the last Gate is only a matter of choice. The Death Gate lures you, seduces you with the promise of unparalleled power, and, in the end, everyone succumbs to that lure. **Everyone**. That includes your sensei. One day, Gai will die by opening all eight Gates. One day, **you** will die by opening the eight Gates."

Gai frowned. Lee went livid.

Saya continued. "I'm not joking. It's not a matter of 'if'. It's a matter of **when**." She turned to look at them. "The important thing is to **do it when it really matters**. Many fools have opened the Death Gate at the first chance they got, throwing away their lives unnecessarily, only to feel, if just for an instant, what it feels to be a God."

There was a tense feeling in the atmosphere. While Saya seemed blissfully impervious to it, Gai could feel it.

He had gone through the same talk, some fifteen years before. He was sure Saya had used the exact same words, or at least extremely similar. Thinking about it, Gai realized they were even in the same place. He wondered if she had done it on purpose.

Lee was clutching his knees. He had lowered his face, but Gai could see his tightened jaw and triceps. The boy was afraid. It was obvious: Saya had laced her words with minute doses of killing intent. She was testing his student. In any other circumstance, Gai would not have allowed it, but he knew it was necessary. It was the reason he had brought Lee before her.

"The moment you opened _**Kaimon**_ for the first time, the Death God put his eyes on you." Saya continued. "As you open more Gates, you'll feel him even closer. His whispers are like a cold breeze on the back of your ear, beseeching you, calling for you. There's no escape. Nothing more needs to be said."

With her hands on her hips, Saya waited. Gai, too, waited. It was the crucial moment. They waited for Lee's response. His next words could mean everything.

Lee's long sigh was loud enough to be heard by the other two. "I……I thank you, Houraisan-sama. I am very fortunate."

Gai frowned. Saya only blinked. Lee raised his head to look at his sensei's sensei. His smile was serene, even if his eyes hid vestiges of tears.

"Unlike most people……I already know how I will die. Even better, I get to decide the moment of my own death."

A tear escaped from each eye. Lee's smile widened, which made for quite the touching sight.

"Now I am certain. I will live, and I will die, to protect my precious people and my ninja way. I want nothing more."

"Lee……"

The young Genin looked at his mentor. "Gai-sensei." It lacked the usual emotion, but the affection and the gratitude were there.

"Lee……" Gai repeated before capturing his student in an embrace. That was the cue for the boy to let go and burst into tears, finally succumbing to the fear, the pressure and the certainty of Saya's words.

Saya only shook her head and sighed. "Gai, I shouldn't have had to do this."

The Jounin offered an apologetic glance at her. "I am sorry, but I would have been unable to do it myself."

Saya smiled; only a little. "You're too soft."

"He is my precious student, after all. I am sure Lee, too, will bring his own student to you one day."

"It won't happen." Saya declared. "I won't be around by then."

Gai's body tensed, drawing the attention of his student. "Ga-Gai-sensei?" Lee inquired, looking up.

"Sa……Saya-sensei……?"

Saya returned Gai's stunned expression with her gentle smile and swiftly changed the topic. "You plan to teach show him the rest of the Gates?"

Gai stared at the woman for several long seconds before looking down and uttering a laconic "Yes."

Saya's smiled widened a little bit as she kneeled in front of the two males. Placing her right hand on Lee's left shoulder; she sought and claimed his attention.

"It's a shame……it's a real shame. If you could use chakra properly, I would seriously consider teaching you _**Fukyuu no Ryuu**_. You……you are a good boy. Keep that ambition strong in your heart. Become a good shinobi……make us proud."

Lee sniffed and nodded. Saya turned to Gai.

"When he has learned _**Ura Renge**_, teach him _**Gurenkyaku**_. Even if he cannot use it properly, I think he can learn it."

Gai nodded. "Thank you very much." When he was young, Saya made him swear not to teach any Lotus technique other than Initial and Reverse without her permission.

Saya finally revealed her full smile. "You found yourself a good student, Gai-kun. I'm proud of you, and very happy." She put both hands on both the Jounin's shoulders, standing up as she did so. "You have really grown up, haven't you…?"

Before Gai could think of a reply, Saya planted a soft kiss on his forehead. "Thank you for coming."

After that, she walked away from the two, making her way back to her house. "When the boy can open at least five Gates, bring him to me. I might teach him a thing or two."

Lee, still in his sensei's arms, looked up as his mentor blinked a few times, as if unsure of what had just happened. However, he soon came out of his mild daze, only to smile gently and look down at his prized student.

"Lee."

"Ye-Yes!?"

Gai closed his eyes. "Seventeen years ago, I met a girl. She was lovely, Lee; always smiling. When I was at my lowest, when I doubted myself and my ability to stand up to truly talented genius shinobi, she would smile for me and spur me to keep doing my best. 'To go beyond any limit. To break all boundaries,' she would say. She taught me many, many things."

Gai revealed his widest grin, with two rows of sparkling white teeth and a curious tint on his cheeks.

"I had the biggest crush on that girl!"

His expression softened into a bittersweet smile.

"I will never forget that smile, Lee."

Lee only nodded. There was little more he could do in such a situation.

* * *

A series of loud and fast-paced knocks startled Saya from her cooking. While she was already aware of the visitor, of course, she wasn't expecting such a thing. Most people who visited the house just invited themselves in. 

"It's open!!!" She yelled, before remembering the house was sound-proof. "Aw, fuck."

After making sure it was safe to leave the kitchen for a few moments (she was in the middle of making an early dinner), she walked over to open the door. She was surprised by the sight of an agitated Hyuuga Hinata.

"Ah, Hinata."

The Hyuuga heiress panted two more times before straightening her body and regulating her breath. "Saya-sensei. Where is Naruto-kun?"

Saya blinked, and then smiled. "Ah, so that's it. Come in."

"Why didn't Naruto-kun go to the Academy today?" Hinata inquired. Saya was already making her way back to the kitchen.

"Ah, he had to write a very long essay last night. It was his Politics and Economics exam. He only went to bed at sunrise. The poor kid is exhausted."

"They gave the results of the written exam today." Hinata's alarmed look hadn't disappeared, not even after Saya's explanation.

"Yes, yes. Naruto only wrote his name on the answer sheet, so he said there was no point in going to school today if he already knows the grade."

"That's the problem!" Hinata cried. "His other notes are not enough to balance a zero score in the written exam! He failed!!!"

Saya immediately turned to look at her student. The large spoon in her hand made a mess with the stew she was cooking.

"What did you say!?"

Hinata was crying. "I-Iruka-sensei failed him………"

Saya's pupils contracted. She was gritting her teeth. "That………fuck damn it!!!" She turned off the stove. "I'm going to see the Hokage. Take care of the house."

"Eh?" Saya had already walked past her and made it outside when Hinata reacted and turn around to look at her. "What……what about Naruto-kun!?"

"The kid is tired, let him sleep. If he wakes up, tell him what happened. I leave him to you!"

She was gone an instant later, having departed in a burst of speed.

"Aa-ano……"

Hinata could only blink. She was alone. There was nothing but her and the compelling scent of meat stew. Wiping her tears, she went to the door to Naruto's bedroom.

"Naruto-kun."

She knocked. As expected, she got no response, so she quietly and carefully opened the door. "Ano……"

She shyly peeked inside. Her small hands clutched the doorknob like a lifeline as her legs gave in. A spark of electricity went up from the base of her spine to the back of her neck and back down, ending somewhere between her legs with a thrilling sensation like nothing she had experienced before.

Quietly, peacefully, Naruto slept on his bed.

Shirtless.

Hinata brought her right fist to her mouth, just to ensure no sound would come out of it. Her eyes followed the motions of his chest as it went up…and down……and back up……

She swallowed. "Na……Naruto-kun?"

No answer. She very carefully made her way inside. Her eyes roamed his body and her brain memorized every single line, curve and shape of his well-sculpted torso. She knew all the boys at the Academy had to have athletic bodies (well, except Chouji), but she also knew Naruto's was the result of years of carefully developed physical conditioning by a woman who knows as much about physical conditioning as a person can know. She would have been even more impressed if she remembered the Naruto before he was taken by the Houraisan couple.

"Naruto-kun……" Hinata bit her lower lip and tried to ignore the warmth between her legs. She sat on the bed. It was hard, but she made her eyes shift from his chest to his face. She eyed the whisker marks that had always intrigued her and his exotic and messy blond hair.

She set her hands on her lap, holding herself.

She wanted to touch him.

A scroll had unfurled itself off the desk and fallen on the hard wooden floor. Hinata recognized Naruto's big, clumsy handwriting, and she realized it was the essay Saya had mentioned. But that was of no interest to her.

Very slowly, very carefully, and very gently, Hinata tapped Naruto's right arm. Seeing that there was no reaction from the boy, she smiled a little bit. She lifted the arm and placed it horizontally, granting herself the space necessary to curl next to Naruto's.

When she was done, and knowing she hadn't upset the boy, she giggled in delight. "Naruto-kun………"

She didn't take her eyes off him. She even minimized her blinking so as to not miss any detail. That face, that hair, those lips, that body……they were everything to her.

"Naruto-kun……"

Sleeping there, so peacefully, it was hard for her to believe he was plagued by any trouble. Most of the village still treated him rudely. His status as clan heir didn't help him much, as the Houraisan Clan was practically worthless to the civilian population. It was the Hokage's protection that kept Naruto's detractors at bay. His blindness, while generally overcome by _**Senrigan**_, still was a cause for trouble, as shown by his recent failure of the exam. And then there was Uchiha Itachi………

Hinata cuddled closer. "Naruto-kun, I'm becoming strong……thanks to you."

She lowered her head and began to fiddle with her index fingers. "I owe it all to you, Naruto-kun. I would be nothing without Naruto-kun."

"I……I made an oath. I……I will always be with Naruto-kun. By your side. That's why I must become even stronger, so that nothing can step between us. I……I will protect Naruto-kun, so that Naruto-kun stays with me forever. And Naruto-kun will protect me, right?"

She wrapped her right arm around his torso and buried her face on his right side. Her nostrils loaded themselves with his scent.

"Nothing will stand between us. Nothing will stop us. Nothing will stop our dreams. Isn't that right, Naruto-kun?"

Naruto mumbled some nonsense in his sleep, but unconsciously sought the new source of warmth. Hinata let go a tiny gasp when she felt his right arm around her waist, but this time she didn't run away. She embraced the deliciously painful spark that grew from between her legs and sent shivers all over her body.

Hinata could only smile.

"Nothing will stand between us, Naruto-kun. I promise."

* * *

"So everything is fixed now?" Saya asked for the n-th time that meeting. Sarutobi sent a flicker of flame from his right index finger to his pipe to ignite it. 

"Yes, yes. Iruka……might have his issues with you two, but he is reasonable. He knows Naruto could have answered most of those questions, if he could read them."

"Won't there be any retaliation? From, you know……"

Sarutobi looked aside to release the first few puffs of smoke.

"If it comes to that, we'll simply make an oral exam and put Naruto through it. I'll ask the questions and Naruto will answer. Just to make sure no one has reason to complain, we'll make it harder than the standard Genin written exam. I hope you don't mind."

Saya looked at her husband, who just crossed his arms and smirked.

"Of course not. My child can handle it…….I think."

Saya only raised an eyebrow.

"So……" The aged Hokage inhaled and reveled in the deliciously toxic scent of the tobacco. "……with that settled, how is the plan?"

Shiki's smirk didn't change. Saya revealed a smirk of her own. "Shiki, dear? Have you talked to Hiashi-kun?"

"Yes, I have. It took some time to convince him, but I assured him everything would be in a controlled environment. Saru, we'll need a team."

"Three Genin teams are available."

"Good. We'll pick one tomorrow and debrief them. Now we need to get Naruto away for the next……two days or so."

"Oh, so you've already decided it will be the day after tomorrow?" The Hokage inquired. Shiki shrugged.

"I see no reason to delay it any more. I have no doubts Naruto will pass the Ninjutsu test tomorrow. Then it takes you a few days to make the teams. It's obvious we have to do it before that."

Sarutobi nodded. "Yes, yes, of course. Actually, I would like to talk to you two about the teams later."

"Anytime, Saru." Shiki turned to his wife. "So, Saya, about Naruto……?"

"Don't worry. I already asked Mikoto-san. She'll take care of him."

The Third smiled a little bit. "She's quite fond of your boy."

"It makes sense." Saya explained. "Naruto is her child's only friend. As in, the only one who dares to befriend him? That Sasuke needs to work on his people skills. Anyway." It was her turn to ask Shiki. "What about Hanabi?"

"Oh, please." Shiki chuckled. "That girl absolutely **adores** Naruto. You think she would say no?"

"So it's settled then." Sarutobi declared. "We'll meet again tomorrow morning. I'll have the Genin team, so please make sure Hiashi and Hanabi-chan make it, too."

"Well, I don't know about the girl……she has to attend classes, after all." Shiki explained. "But Hiashi will definitely be here."

"Shiki……" Saya suddenly looked quite thoughtful. "…I guess that means we have to do the Taijutsu test tomorrow."

"Indeed. Seems like we have so more talking to do, Saru."

* * *

Less than ten minutes later, Saya was back in her house. "I'm hoooome! Hinata!" 

She had left Shiki to discuss some last details with the Third Hokage. Two shadow clones were on their way to meet with Hiashi and Mikoto, respectively. She would go personally, but time was of the essence, and she needed to train her student, especially if the Taijutsu Test was to take place the next day.

"Hinata!"

Both the dining room and the kitchen were empty. Hinata had no reason to be in the main bedroom or in Shiki's studio, so that only left the bathroom and Naruto's bedroom. Saya went with the latter.

She was met by quite the sight after she opened the door. Her adopted child and her apprentice cuddled each other on a bed that had plenty of space for three people. Hinata had never been the kind to move much while asleep. Her right arm was still tightly wrapped around Naruto's naked chest and her right leg possessively claimed his. Her expression, even as she slept, was unable to contain her pleasure. Naruto's hold on Hinata's smaller body had only tightened. Saya raised an eyebrow at the fact that, at some point, Naruto's right hand had moved from Hinata's waist to Hinata's rear. The right side of his face was buried on Hinata's short hair. Saya could only hope he didn't drool. That would be nasty.

Saya closed the door behind her after exiting the room. _Oh well, they'll do fine tomorrow._

Besides, she couldn't wait for Hinata's reaction to finding out Naruto had been feeling her up in their sleep.

* * *

Thirty-something minutes later, a half-naked Naruto abruptly emerged from the bedroom. His uncovered chest was, strangely enough, coated in some scarlet substance. 

"Sa-Saya-kaa-chan!!! Hi-Hina-chan suddenly fainted!!! A-And there's so much blood!!!"

Saya could only hide her smirk. _Life is good._

* * *

Hands in his pockets, Uchiha Sasuke roamed the streets of Konoha. He might as well have been traversing an empty road, though. 

The Uchiha Clan had disappeared. Nothing remained of that but a lone mother who would probably never marry again (even if she still had the looks to pull it off) and her young child.

And the crazy psycho who annihilated the Clan in the first place, but nobody really wants to count him.

The respect the Uchiha Clan had once possessed (and rightfully deserved, in Sasuke's mind) was gone, replaced with nothing but empty pity. He could feel it. In their eyes, he was just poor little Uchiha Sasuke; an unfortunately child worth being pitied. It was almost as if they feared he would break down and begin to cry in the middle of the street. Therefore, everyone was nice to him, showering him with meaningless smiles and empty praises.

He didn't know how his mother could take that shit. In a way, he both admired her and despised her for keeping that perennial smile of hers all the damn time. He knew that smile was just as false as the villagers'……well, most of the time.

The smile she used for him was real. He knew that. He could feel it. She loved him. And he loved her, too, of course. He had always loved his mother.

She seemed to get along with some other people, too. Sasuke had seen her chatting a few times with Namida Suzume, the kunoichi trainer at the Academy. Inuzuka Tsume had also visited them from time to time. And Sasuke knew Mikoto got along with Naruto and his family.

Sasuke might not care about anyone else around him, but that didn't mean he was a careless person. He had earned his _**hitai-ate**_ after succeeding at the Ninjutsu Test (_**Bunshin no Jutsu**__, what a joke…_). He was a Genin of Konoha. He was always aware of his surroundings.

He could pinpoint the exact position of each and every single fangirl following him that day……

_**Yaoi Fangirls**_. He corrected himself.

He was surprised to notice there weren't as many that day. He guessed those amongst them who failed the test were crying their loss, which only showed there was some measure of common sense in them. Hence, only those who had passed and those who were too love-struck to give a damn were around that day.

Sasuke shrugged to himself. Oh well……what was he thinking about again?

For some reason, the image of a smiling blond with an orange bandana over his eyes struck his mind. Sasuke gritted his teeth and clenched his fists.

"Naruto………idiot."

"Hey, that kinda hurts, you know?"

"WAAAAHHHH!!!"

Naruto could only tilt his head at the sight of a surprisingly terrified Sasuke pushing himself against the nearest wall.

"HOW-HOW DID YOU DO THAT!?"

Naruto blinked under his bandana……no. Naruto had replaced the orange bandana that usually covered his mediums for a brand new _**hitai-ate**_.

"How did I do what?"

"Sneak up on me!!!"

The blond chuckled and rested his arms behind his head. "I eluded the military police when I was five. Give me some credit, Sasuke."

Sasuke's embarrassment took the form of a healthy blush. He noticed movement out of a corner of his left eye. "Naruto……"

"I have a wide-area _**Senrigan**_ active. I've noticed."

"Then why in all Gods' names are you bothering me if you know you're only enticing them!?"

Naruto smirked. It felt good to be evil.

"Did you already forget, teme? I'm staying over at your place tonight!" He said, making sure to show the rather large backpack on his back.

Sasuke swallowed the bitter taste in his mouth. His sharp ears detected a "Kyaaa!!" in the distance. He ignored it and fully focused on the object of his hatred. How was he supposed to know Naruto was thinking several steps ahead of him?

The night before, an utterly pissed off Sasuke had shown up at the Houraisan residence with an invitation. For some reason, Mikoto had invited the Houraisan heir to stay over the next night, much to Sasuke's dismay. Naruto, of course, hadn't hesitated to accept.

Sasuke couldn't figure out his mother's reasons to pull off something like that so suddenly. He suspected a universal conspiracy to make his life a living hell.

"Sooooo……" Naruto continued. "……if we're going to get along together at your place, we should get rid of that latest stick up your ass."

"What do you mean?" Sasuke growled more than said. Naruto frowned. With a quick, unstoppable pace, he walked over to Sasuke until his face was eight or so inches from the Uchiha's.

"You've been ignoring me lately, Sasuke. I'm shocked, but it somehow seems you're angry with me."

Sasuke was startled when Naruto slammed his left hand on the wall next to his head and halved the gap between their faces. Those who hadn't notice the two did it after that. Naruto and Sasuke became the center of attention.

"And I would like to know why."

Once again, Sasuke drowned the chorus of "Kyaaa!!!" in the distance. Damn yaoi fangirls. He focused on what Naruto had said and felt his anger rising to boiling levels.

At such a close distance, Naruto's _**Senrigan **_could barely detect the most notorious facial expressions. Sasuke's snarl counted as one of those.

"Are you looking down on me, dobe?"

Naruto blinked. He was confused. Sasuke took the chance to push Naruto away from him.

"I already have to take that shit from everyone else………I WON'T TAKE IT FROM YOU!!!"

The next thing Naruto felt was a fist on his face. He stumbled back three steps until he fell on his right knee. Sasuke, right fist clenched, looked down at him with unsuppressed anger blatant on his face.

"The Taijutsu match………you only made fun of me, you bastard."

Only after that did Naruto understand. It was too late, though.

"WHY DIDN'T YOU TAKE ME SERIOUSLY!?" Sasuke yelled before lunging at the blond with a roar. Naruto, however, rolled away from the attacking Uchiha while his ever-working brain quickly machinated a plan to kill two birds with one stone.

"_**Kage Bunshin no Jutsu**_."

"Wha-what the!? LET ME GO!!!"

Naruto and a small army of clones grabbed Sasuke, lifted him over their heads and carried him to a damp, dark alley. A wall of shadow clones blocked all access to the alley, preventing anyone to see what would happen inside……unless you were one of the ANBU on a roof, of course. If you weren't, well, you could only try to make something out of the noises coming out of the alley.

"Damn it, dobe, what are you-THE HELL!? STOP IT!!! WHERE THE HELL ARE YOU TOUCHIN-MMHMMHMMHFFF!!!!!"

While the yaoi fangirls were getting all sorts of crazy ideas, Naruto, pinning Sasuke down with his legs and holding him by the windpipe with his left hand, took off his headband-slash-blindfold with his free hand. Two glowing green and blue mediums glared down at the last male Uchiha in Konoha. Sasuke had to hold back a whimper. Those fake eyes still freaked him out after that day in the hospital.

"It's called deception, teme." Naruto spat. "Maybe you like bragging your pretty Uchiha powers to anyone who cares, but I like keeping what I can do a secret. Of course, if you want me to go all out and beat the shit out of you, you're free to show up at my place whenever you want."

Sasuke blinked. It was all clear now. Naruto wanted people to underestimate him. He wanted people to see him as a clown who only knows how to make fun of others. Naruto just didn't want to show what he can truly do……and Sasuke was beginning to think Naruto could do a lot more than what he had originally thought.

Sasuke felt like an idiot. He wasn't apologizing, though. He spat the clump of dirt Naruto had stuffed his mouth with to keep him quiet and responded to his glare with the patented Uchiha Look-of-Doom.

"Whatever. Get off me."

Naruto smirked. "Good to see we understand each other."

"Yeah, yeah, I get it. Get off me already. It's dirty and smelly here."

"Aww, the big, bad Uchiha can't stand a little dirt in his pretty Uchiha clothes?"

"Shut up and get off me already."

"I have to thank you, teme."

Sasuke frowned. He didn't like the sound of that.

"Ever since you explained to me the whole yaoi thing, I've tried to figure out a way to get rid of the fangirls. Finally, today, I got my chance."

Sasuke's frown became an alarmed look. He definitely didn't like the sound of that. Naruto's magatama glowed in the dark. They made a perfect complement to the outright demonic smirk on Naruto's face.

"Sasuke……" He whispered. "……scream for me."

The people outside could only blink and blush and the sounds they could get from inside the alley.

"What the hell are you-AAHHH!!! YOU **BIT ME**!!! Naru-wa-wait-aaaahhh!!! Hey, that's-NO! NOT THERE!!! **AUGHHHH!!!!!**"

After two or so minutes of similar noises, the wall of shadow clones poofed itself away. Naruto emerged, with a proud gait, his mediums covered and a dark smile on his face. His clothes were a little wrinkled, but, other than that, he looked fine and dandy. The first person who tried to get a look at Sasuke could only gasp at the sight. The boy was a mess. His traditional (and unique) hairdo had become something unrecognizable, and his clothes were dirtied and damaged beyond repair. His skin was awfully flushed in some places and extremely pale in others, and he was staring at Naruto's back with a combination of fury and sheer terror.

The question in everybody's (but the ANBUs, who were just laughing their asses off, having figured out Naruto's little plot) minds was obvious.

**What the hell happened in that alley?**

Naruto smirked. It was time for his award-winning performance. He turned his head to shoot an amused look at Sasuke, who was still sitting on the muddy ground.

"And that's the closest thing to sex you'll ever get from me, teme."

The vessel "looked" up at the sky. "I……I finally understand. I have SEEN THE LIGHT! I have returned to the RIGHT PATH!!!" He looked back down at Sasuke, wearing a serious expression. "That's why I'm done with you, Uchiha Sasuke. We are through!!!"

He shot Sasuke a "cute" smile. "We can still be buddies, though. Catch you later."

It was surprisingly easy to find Haruno Sakura and Yamanaka Ino amidst the crowd. With a confident gait, he approached them and bowed gentlemanly, as Saya had taught him some years ago.

"Ne, Sakura, Ino……can you do something for me?"

The girls, who had swallowed the whole scene with wide eyes and holding hands in inexplicable nervousness, swallowed and whimpered.

"You see, Sasuke……" Naruto continued. "……he acts tough, but he's actually a bit sensitive about stuff like this. You know, 'my family was butchered so now I'm afraid to get close to other people,' something like that."

There was a strange gleam in the two's eyes, as "comprehension" dawned upon them. So **that's** why Sasuke always avoided them!

"Well, after all, Sasuke's my friend, you know? And he must very hurt with all this. I think he could use some friends right now."

He gently placed a hand each on their shoulders.

"He could use some **love** right now. Could you……?"

Ino and Sakura didn't hesitate to nod eagerly. Sakura apparently had completely forgotten she wasn't supposed to talk to Naruto.

"You can count on me." The pink-haired declared with bold determination.

"US." Ino corrected, before smiling at the male blond. "You're a pretty nice guy, Naruto……even if you just dumped Sasuke-kun."

Naruto rolled his "eyes" and suppressed the urge to gag. "Well, what can I say? I finally decided I'm straight, after all. Anyway, thanks, you two. You really are the sweetest girls……I'll leave him to you then."

And with those words he left, knowing he had planted the seed. He hadn't been any secretive at all when speaking to those two, so he was sure every fangirl within range had overheard. Those who hadn't (and those who were absent) would find out in one way or another. They would all worry so much about the brokenhearted Uchiha………and who better to heal his broken heart than the girls who love him so very much?

"Just what the hell was that about?"

Naruto blinked……and smirked. _There's a God out there and, for once, it's on my side._

"TEN-CHAN!!!" He exclaimed, loud enough for everyone to look again at his departing form. "Just the person I wanted to see right now!"

Tenten, having been just dismissed for lunch after another boring D-Rank mission, could only blink in mild surprise. "…eh?"

"It's almost lunchtime, right? Let's go get some ramen at Ichiraku's together!"

"Eh……" She didn't have anything against ramen; she just knew she had training in the afternoon, so she would prefer something more nutritious. Fortunately for Naruto, this was one of those rare days in which he said the right words at the right moments.

"Last time you left before I could teach you about delayed blast tags……" He pouted. He hadn't finished the sentence when he found his right arm locked to Tenten's left.

"Take me, you manly man you!!!"

"Great!"

And so, the crowd watched a pair of explosion-lovers arm-in-arm and grinning like loons. All potential yaoi vibes from Naruto disappeared the moment the fangirls saw how he landed himself a lunch date in seconds.

Sasuke, who was just getting up while his mind tried to figure out a way to recover his honor and to explain to his mother how he ruined his clothes, suddenly noticed he was the object of many looks. The crowed in the back wasn't much of a problem. The problem was the fact that he was surrounded by his fangirls. Fangirls who looked at him with big, shiny, teary eyes.

"Sasuke-kuuun……"

"Poor Sasuke-kun……"

"You are so sad……"

"So lonely……"

"But we're here, Sasuke-kun!"

"We'll never leave you!"

"We'll never betray you!!!"

"We'll be together forever!!!"

"So, really, what was that about back there?" Tenten insisted. She felt surprisingly comfortable while arm-locked with Naruto, despite the looks they got.

Naruto only shrugged and grinned. "Nothing to worry about, Ten-chan."

"**DAMN YOU, NARUTOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!**"

Naruto's grin went from ear to ear. "Nope. Nothing to worry about."

* * *

**Author's Notes: **Well, here it is. The new chapter. Shorter than the usual, but I think this last scene is a perfect closure for an otherwise average chapter. This chapter is simply a link between two stages. Naruto has now successfully completed his Academy training, but he still has two "Houraisan Trials" to finish, which will be the high point of the rest of this chronicle. "Fantasia" ends with the Team assignments and Naruto's first day as a Genin. Yes, "Fantasia" is much shorter than "Phantasmagoria." 

So, why did I take so long? Well, it was winter vacation time, and on vacation I put everything on hiatus. That includes fanfiction. After that, well, with my wallet stolen in a foreign country and the two weeks I've spent to reorganize my life, I didn't really have much time to think about fanfics. Now that I'm back to writing, I guess I have to "warm up the engines" again before I get back to my usual writing level.

**Next chapter: **Sleepover at Sasuke's! That could only mean one thing: crazy NaruMiko antics!

And Sasuke getting a nervous breakdown, of course.

The Houraisan Combat Test is there, too, but nobody really cares about that.

**Note:** I only got one comment on "Sleepless Night of the Eastern Country." Oh well. If you care, check daneelrushtripodcom/indexhtml for a few extras.

A pic of my inspiration for Morikawa Ayaka, the Goddess of Konoha (a cookie if you figure out where she's from!) as well as the Touhou tune I picked as her music there, "Romance Hill of Cherry Petals – Japanese Flower," from ZUN's album "Doll of Hourai – Dolls in Pseudo-Paradise."

A second song; the Touhou song I picked for Hanabi-chan. When I thought of a song for little Hanabi, I just knew it had to have a nice and playful piano. Because of Naruto, you see. So there it goes: "Enigmatic Doll," from the same album as the previous song. A mysterious yet childish song like only ZUN can come up with.

* * *

**Narutionary**

**_Fuujinroku _**(風神録): Wind God Chronicles. A series of books containing the life and deeds of Houraisan Naruto, written by Hyuuga Reimu over a period of eight years. It is by far the most accurate depiction of that historical period and its protagonists, and it has been acclaimed as the new standard for historical narration.

_**Tamaryokucha**_ (玉緑茶): a fine Japanese green tea with a sharp, sour, berry-like taste. However, it leaves a long almondy aftertaste. It has a deep aroma with tones of citrus, grass and berries.

* * *

**Technique Encyclopedia**

_**Furyuushou **_(風竜掌)

**Name:** Wind Dragon Palm

**Type:** C-rank, Offensive, Short range (0-5 m)

**Users:** Houraisan Saya, Hyuuga Himeko, Uzumaki Naruto, Hyuuga Hanabi, all_** Yokazeryuu**_ users

The most basic elemental attack of the Night Breeze Dragon style. The user performs one or more circular rotations of his arms and/or his body (the number and extent of necessary rotations depends on individual skill) to gather chakra-infused air in his palms before releasing a single burst at point-blank range. The attack does little to no damage (because it's basically a very strong and focused gust of wind), but the knockback effect is notable.

* * *

_**Fuuton: Kawarimi no Jutsu **_(風遁: 変わり身の術) 

**Name:** Wind Release: Replacement Technique

**Type:** C-rank, Supplementary

**Users:** Uzumaki Naruto

This is Naruto's version of the original Replacement Technique. The only difference consists on the fact that Naruto uses Wind-nature chakra instead of raw chakra. Due to his unmatched efficiency in the use of Wind chakra, Naruto can react and move faster than with the ordinary Kawarimi, which explains why he prefers to use this version.

* * *

_**Hakke Happō Fuuin Kekkai **_(八卦八方封印結界) 

**Name:** Eight Trigrams Omnidirectional Seal Barrier

**Type:** Hiden, C-rank, Supplementary, All ranges

**Users:** Houraisan Shiki, Uzumaki Naruto

**Future User:** Hyuuga Reimu

By the careful crafting of eight seals forming a circle and projecting chakra through these seals over a circular area, this jutsu creates a circular barrier around the seals' vicinity. The barrier does not prevent entry, though, but it immediately warns the jutsu's user whenever a creature enters the area within the barrier. The jutsu basically works as an alarm to prevent surprise attacks.

This jutsu is labeled as "Hiden" because its creator, Houraisan Shiki, never taught it to anyone else. Only recently has he taught it to Naruto, who added it to his Family Scrolls. While the jutsu itself is simple enough to be C-rank, the average ninja cannot create a ward greater than 100 meters of radius without risking chakra depletion.

* * *

_**Kutsuu**__** no **__**Taiga **_(苦痛の大河) 

**Name:**Stream of Pain

**Type:**C-rank, Offensive, Short range (0-5 m)

**Users:**Houraisan Saya, Hyuuga Hinata

An intermediate-level technique of the _**Karyuu**_ Taijutsu style. The user attacks a series of pressure points that inflict immense pain, which is amplified terribly by the infusion of Fire-nature chakra in the victim's chakra circulatory system. While the strikes deal little to no damage, the cumulative effect of such crippling pain can be devastating. While the technique itself is considered C-Rank, the difficulty involved in injecting chakra into an opponent's circulatory system makes this technique beyond the reach of most shinobi.

* * *

_**The Hidden Nature Goddess of the Village Hidden in the Leaves**_

**Morikawa Ayaka** (森川 あやか)

Name: Morikawa (森川, Forest River) Ayaka (あやか, Colorful Flower)

Species: Goddess

Agenda: Forests, Peace

Arts: mainly _**Dojin**_,_** Suijin **_and_** Mokujin**_

Age: 84 years

Residence: Under the Hokage Tower, Konohagakure

Shrine: Konohagakure Shrine

Symbol: The symbol of the Leaf with vines entangled all over and around it.

Description: waist-length green hair with vines entangled in it; big, dark amber eyes; very pale skin with strange blue marks all over it; being quite young for Supernal standards, she has the appearance of a girl around eleven or twelve years old. Her picture can be seen at daneelrushtripodcom/indexhtml.

**Shinjutsu**

**114**

**Taijutsu**

**41**

**Intelligence**

**104**

**Chakra**

**--/106**

**Divine Rank**

**C**

Morikawa Tamiko was a powerful nature goddess that governed over the region that would become Konohagakure. However, a terrible calamity destroyed the forest that was her home and left her in the brink of annihilation. She spent many years of agony; too weak to recover but too stubborn to die. When the man that would become the Shodai Hokage used his powerful Bloodline Limit to regrow a forest around what would become his new settlement, Tamiko saw her chance. Using the last of her power, she died to give life to a new goddess for the newly emerged forest. So, Tamiko died, and Ayaka was born. Technically, though, it could be said that the Shodai Hokage is her father.

Ayaka and the forests of Fire Country are connected in both directions, through her Agenda of Forests. If Ayaka gains power, the forests will grow. On the other side, if the forests are taken good care of and allowed to flourish and expand, Ayaka will become more powerful. Ayaka can also control the trees, soil and water of Konoha and its surrounding areas at will. When the Shodai Hokage met her he realized he and his new village had to make sure to stay in her good side. Their deal is simple: Ayaka makes sure the land stays fertile and the water cycle is uninterrupted and Konohagakure aids the growth of her power by becoming examples of morality and good will, as required by her Agenda of Peace.

Being ninjas, however, made the fulfillment of this requirement quite the challenge. For this reason, the Shodai Hokage conceived the whole pseudo-religion centered on the "Will of Fire" and the promotion of good relations and strong bonds between all the people in his village. He saw it as a win-win situation: Ayaka was happy and it ensured loyalty and prevented his new village from becoming yet another den of mercenary assassins.

Ayaka lives alone in her underground shrine. She's rarely bored, as she has a unique form of clairsentience. She can project her consciousness to any tree within the region she rules over. She spends her days "studying" the people of Konoha. When she gets bored of that, she can use the maze of underground water tunnels to travel and visit the few friends she has made the few times she has left Konoha.


	15. Inevitability of Change, Part 1

**Disclaimer:**I don't own Naruto. If I did, Fuujinroku wouldn't be a **fanfic**, would it?

_**Naruto Fuujinroku**_

_**鳴戸**__**風神録**_

**First Chronicle:**_** Fantasia of Apotropaic Esoterica**_

**Chapter Three**

_**Inevitability of Change – Explosive Dance**_

* * *

Ichiraku Ayame couldn't stop herself from watching with an inquisitive look. Her hands moved on auto-pilot. She had prepared ramen so many times she could do it without conscious effort. The object of her attention was far more interesting than her cooking, as much as she loved cooking. 

Naruto didn't bring people to eat ramen with him very often. When he did, it was either his family or Uchiha Sasuke (who obviously didn't share Naruto's love for her meals).

It bothered her to admit it, but she was jealous, as well as a bit sad. Naruto used to show up several times every day, when he was alone. Being the only place where he was welcome, Naruto was always eager to spend some time at the ramen stand. During his first year at the Houraisan residence, the year when he wasn't yet a Houraisan, Ayame could count Naruto's visits with her two hands. He basically disappeared from Ayame's and Teuchi's lives. Once he joined the Academy, though, things got a little better. Naruto would visit them every once in a while, but always at least once per week.

Ayame mentally kicked herself. How could she even think that? She only had to look at him to see he was happy, despite everything.

"_Check it out, Ayame-nee-chan! I'm a ninja! Now I just have to become badass!!!"_

That was the first thing he had said the moment he entered the stand that afternoon. And he had even brought a girl with him this time. That was a first. And the girl was a bit familiar………

For the first time ever, Naruto didn't claim a seat by the counter. He had taken one of the tables. Tenten sat in front of him. It didn't take long for the ramen cook and his daughter to find out why.

"Heeh, Ten-chan, these tags are even better than mine."

Tenten blinked before dropping her head a bit shyly. "Re-really……"

"Yup. Definitely. I guess it's the better calligraphy."

It wasn't hard for Tenten to understand why her calligraphy was obviously superior to Naruto's. "Ah, ah……sorry."

"You don't have to. So, now that Ten-chan has shown me that she can make great tags, it's time to teach her something else, right?"

Tenten immediately beamed. "Hmm!"

"Okay……hmm……okay, I'll show you how to change the tag so that the explosive power is mostly focused in one direction instead of blowing away everything around. You know, for sabotaging and stuff."

Tenten allowed a delicious squirm course throughout her body. "I am but your humble student, Naruto-sama."

"Heheheh…" Naruto chuckled nervously before unrolling the scroll he always carried around with him. "Hmm…now that I'm a ninja, I guess I should prepare proper equipment."

"With LOTS of thrown weapons?" Tenten whispered conceitedly, as if they were planning a coup d'état or something.

"Weapons and things that go boom. Don't forget the things that go boom."

The two chuckled together like the two trigger-happy explosion freaks they are. Ayame rolled her eyes. It was one of the odds quirks of living in a ninja village. Where else would you find a twelve-year-old boy and a girl around his age chatting about explosives over lunch?

Tenten moved over to Naruto's seat, sitting next to him to get a better look of his scrolls.

"I know I've said this before, but……you really enjoy this stuff, Naruto."

"Mmm!" Naruto nodded eagerly as he scanned the large scroll for the seal that contained the scroll he needed.

"Hmm……" Tenten put her elbows on the table and rested her head on her connected hands. "…well, it's just……you don't look the academic type to me, Naruto. It's hard to see you actually being interested in all this Fuuinjutsu theory and stuff……"

"Ah, ah." Naruto wiggled a finger playfully. "Good point."

"I'm, like, ten years too early to understand Fuuinjutsutheory completely. But I'm not going to wait until then to start making seals; that would be stupid. I'm just taking what I know and see what I can do with it. And it's fun as hell! Here, check this out."

Naruto quickly unsealed an empty paper tag and scribbled the simplest arrangement of symbols that would result in an explosive tag.

"Okay, so this is a basic tag. I put chakra and it explodes. How do I make a bigger explosion?"

"Well, you put more chakra, of course." Tenten stated.

"But even if I put more chakra, there's only so big an explosion this simple tag can make, Ten-chan. So……" Naruto encouraged his enthusiastic "student" with a subtle grin.

"You also have to add more reaction seals around."

"Right. The bigger the reactive chain, the more chakra it can handle and the bigger the explosion. Good, Ten-chan."

Tenten only grinned. It was basic explosive tag "theory," but it always felt good to be praised.

"So, what would happen if, around these seals, I add **this**?" Naruto's hand began to work on the tag once again. Tenten frowned.

"I……it looks like a storage seal, but……I don't know…what is that?"

"It's a containment seal." Naruto explained. "I'm forcefully reducing the range of the explosion."

Tenten's eyes flickered. "Containing higher explosive power in a smaller volume."

Naruto grinned enthusiastically. "That's right! You're pretty smart, Ten-"

He didn't finish. He could only blink. Was Ten-chan kissing his left cheek?

Yes, she was. It was a rather loud smooch, in fact. The stand was fairly deserted, but the few customers present didn't fail to notice the bun-haired Genin planting a kiss on the Kitsune vessel. Ayame could only stare with rather wide eyes, while Teuchi concealed a snicker.

"You. Are. Brilliant." Tenten declared after her lips strayed away from Naruto's skin. Naruto could only blush and scratch the back of his head after lowering it bashfully.

"Eh……uhh……I……nah…not-not really. I asked Shiki-sensei if it could be done, so he taught me how to do it properly. It's not really my-"

"Teach me more." Tenten interjected. Naruto couldn't see the gleeful luster in the girl's eyes, but he could feel the enthusiasm in her voice.

"Su-sure! If you get this, doing the directional explosion tag should be a breeze for you!"

Tenten's grin became nothing but affectionate. _Seriously, what would I do without you, Naruto?_

* * *

Uchiha Sasuke was in a bad mood. Being "comforted after a heart-breaking separation" wasn't his idea of a calm, peaceful afternoon after the successful completion of his Academy education. 

After getting rid of the creepy fangirls (the Yamanaka girl had nibbled at the back of his neck when he was distracted!), Sasuke deliberately took his time to return home. He needed the time to plan possible ways to assassinate Houraisan Uzumaki Naruto. He was pondering the fun factor of arsenic when he arrived. His musings didn't distract him from the unusual music erupting from within the walls of his home.

Music.

Music was being played in his house. That wasn't normal. It was traditional music, the sort of thing you hear in festivals. Sasuke frowned. Had Naruto already turned his last haven of peace upside down?

Gritting his teeth, Sasuke prepared himself for whatever was to come. He walked in.

"I'm home." He announced himself as he took off his shoes. The sound of his voice was drowned by the particularly loud music; he was sure his words had remained unheard. Common sense told him the music would guide him to Naruto and/or his mother, so he followed his ears.

The dining table and chairs had been moved to a corner to open a relatively wide expanse of space.

Sasuke stared. And stared. And kept staring.

"Mother."

No response. Playful strings reverberated from a rather old (but very loud) radio Sasuke was sure he had never seen before.

"Mom."

He remained ignored. He was still staring, not even aware of the twitch developing above his right eye.

"Mom."

His presence was finally acknowledged. "Welcome home, Sasuke. Naruto-kun here has already given me the good news."

"Naruto is a good boy." The blond declared. He said nothing more. His entire mindset was a-hundred-percent focused on the task at hand…or, more precisely, at feet.

Sasuke shot a deadly glare at the blond. "Mom."

"Yes?" Mikoto hadn't interrupted what she was doing.

"You are dancing."

"Yes, that accurately describes what I'm doing right now."

"With Naruto."

"Well, dancing alone is nowhere near as entertaining."

"You are dancing with Naruto."

"Yes, you already said that." Mikoto's perennial smile disappeared for a moment. "Do you feel unwell, Sasuke dear?"

Sasuke closed his eyes and tried to find his center. He failed.

_Maybe, if I concentrate reaaaaaaally hard, the world will explode. Or my head. Whatever._

"You are dancing with Naruto."

"Yes, dear. You are awfully repetitive today, Sasuke-kun. Something happened?"

Sasuke growled. "Why don't you ask 'Naruto-kun'?"

Feeling Mikoto's eyes on him, Naruto responded. "Everything I did, I did on Sasuke's best interests."

"I see." Mikoto smiled gently at her dancing partner. "Sasuke, dear, you would be grateful for having a friend like Naruto-kun."

"A friend like no other." Naruto added with a sagely voice. Mikoto caressed his hair affectionately.

Sasuke felt like burying his face in his hands. _Ah, I see…… _His mind roamed. _So __**this**__ is why you let us live, right, nii-san? So that my mother and your ramen-and-Pocky-addicted friend could drive me insane. Everything is so clear now._

"For the love of all Gods, please tell me there's a good reason for this scene unfolding in front of me."

"You mean the dancing?" Mikoto tilted her head.

"Yes, mother." Sasuke replied flatly. "The dancing."

"Well……" Her pupils drifted upwards as she picked her words. The dancing stopped. "……Naruto-kun and I were talking about this and that and it eventually lead to me asking him whether he knew how to dance or not. Apparently his mother's demanding education did not include music and arts."

"I can play the piano." Naruto declared proudly.

"Really? How wonderful!"

Naruto beamed. Sasuke groaned.

"Anyway." Mikoto continued. "I decided to fill the gap in Naruto-kun's education." She looked back at Naruto. "Let's start again. Right foot, okay?"

"Okay!"

"Okay, at one, two, three." And the dancing resumed.

Sasuke, meanwhile, digested his mother's words.

_Well, that __**does**__ make sense, but……_

"You've never taught me how to dance……" Sasuke mumbled. Regrettably, it wasn't quietly enough not to be noticed by the dancing couple.

"Oh……" Mikoto smiled. There was something just **wrong **about that smile. Sasuke shuddered. "Does the cool and quiet rookie-of-the-year Uchiha Sasuke-kun wants to dance with his mommy?"

"Shut up." Sasuke spat at his mother.

The dancing stopped again. Mikoto looked at her child, blinked twice, and wrapped her arms tightly around Naruto.

"My **own** child, Naruto-kun!" Her sobbing was disgusting in its fakeness. "My **own **son tells me to shut up!!!"

She fell on her knees and buried her face on Naruto's left chest. The music was drowned by her fake wailing.

"I have failed as a mother!!! Naruto-kun, where did I go wrong!?"

Naruto chuckled and patted Mikoto's head clumsily. "Umm, it's not your fault; Mikoto-nee-chan. Sasuke's just a bastard."

Now Sasuke just wanted to disappear. _Ah, I see! I'm still in a hospital bed after the massacre! I'm still seven years old! This is a crazy coma-induced nightmare!_

Another fake and overly loud sob. "You are the only one who understands me, Naruto-kun. Everyone thinks it's easy for me! Everyone thinks I'm the luckiest mother in the world because my child is the wondrous, suave, fantastic Uchiha Sasuke!!! But it's not!!!!!"

"Oh, now that's just ridiculous." Sasuke rolled his eyes.

Mikoto's hands grabbed Naruto by the sides of his head. "I cannot go on like this anymore!!! I cannot do this alone!!! I need someone who can** comfort** me!!! Someone who can take care of me and Sasuke!!!"

"I don't like where this is going." Naruto's face straightened.

"You have no right to say that!" Sasuke spat.

Mikoto suddenly lifted her arms to encircle Naruto over his shoulders and embrace him more closely, her right cheek against his.

"Marry me, Naruto-kun!!!"

"THE HELL!?"

"Why does it always end with a frickin' marriage proposal!? Who's next, Hinata!?"

Mikoto mock-gasped and moved away from the blind boy. "So you reject me, too, Naruto-kun!!!"

"WHAT!? No! I didn't say that!!!"

"Naruto-kun!!!" Before he could react, his face was buried in Mikoto's plain_** yukata**_. He turned his head towards Sasuke.

"Ne, Sasuke. If I marry Mikoto-nee-chan, does that mean you have to call me 'daddy'?"

Mikoto giggled. Sasuke seethed. "I hope you die a horrible, horrible death, Naruto."

Naruto pretended to look angry. "Oh, you are so getting grounded for that, young mister."

Mikoto's giggling became a bit louder. Sasuke seethed some more.

"And I hope the _**Shinigami**_ ravages your soul for eternity."

* * *

Naruto had lunch at Ichiraku with Tenten and Mikoto hadn't waited for him, so Sasuke had lunch alone that day. After brushing his teeth, he made it to the ample backyard, where he knew both Naruto and his mother were. 

Mikoto, her duties done (at least until dinnertime), had tied the extremes of a hammock (_Since when do we have a hammock!? _Sasuke thought) to two adjacent wooden supports. She was enjoying the spring breeze under the shade of the roof while she read a romance novel.

"What's he doing?" Sasuke asked his mother, referring to Naruto, who was standing in the middle of the yard, doing absolutely nothing.

"Training, dear." Mikoto didn't look away from her read.

"Training?"

"Yes, love. Naruto-kun said he wanted to do some 'light training' before we leave to the Houraisan residence."

"Huh?" His mother kept sowing more and more questions in his head. Mikoto smiled gently.

"Naruto has to go to his house in two hours or so. He said it's probably for a test of some sort. Apparently we were invited to watch."

"Hmm……"

"I hope they invite us to stay for dinner. I don't feel like cooking tonight."

Sasuke raised an eyebrow. His mother was getting lazier and lazier by the day. He couldn't really blame her, though. Now that he had become a Genin, she would have even more free time for herself. He guessed she deserved it.

The Uchiha boy walked over to Naruto. The blond didn't seem to react to his presence, but Sasuke knew Naruto was aware of his approach. All-around perception and stuff. Naruto's hands were stuck in the Dragon seal. Two kunai rested by his feet.

"What are you doing?"

"_**Senrigan**_ training."

"Eh? How does that work?"

Naruto didn't hesitate to reveal the weaknesses of his perception jutsu to his friend.

"Hmm……it does make sense." Sasuke admitted. "Your father's quite smart."

Naruto grinned. "He's awesome."

Sasuke scoffed. "So, how's that training working? What are you doing?"

Naruto shook his head. "Honestly, I have no idea what I'm doing. If I use less chakra and keep the same range, the vision gets worse. If I want to use less chakra and keep the same level of detail, I have to decrease the range. It's just how it works. I have no idea how to use _**Senrigan **_without filling the whole place with my chakra."

The raven-haired lad pointed down. "And what about these?"

Naruto let go a quiet "ah!" before the two kunai shot upwards until they were floating at Naruto's eye level. "_**Tesabaki **_training."

"You can use _**Tesabaki **_without hand seals." Sasuke stated rather than asked. Naruto nodded.

"As long as I have _**Senrigan **_active."

"……cool."

"It is, isn't it?" Naruto was wearing his trademark grin. "_**Tesabaki**_'s a pretty cool jutsu, but it's rather limited."

"Explain."

"Only if you say please."

Sasuke only raised an eyebrow. Naruto chuckled as he withdrew a paper strip from his pants' left pocket.

"Good thing I forgot to empty my pockets yesterday."

Sasuke didn't ask.

Naruto made the piece of paper riddled with seals float about three yards in front of him. When he made the Ram seal, the piece of paper began to trace a circle around Naruto and Sasuke, leaving a trail of kunai in its wake. When it returned to its original position, there was a circle of deadly weapons floating around the two. Sasuke's eyes were widened in thinly veiled surprise.

"How many……?"

"Sixteen." Naruto said. "Plus the paper and these two, I am controlling nineteen objects with _**Tesabaki**_ at the same time." He let the two original kunai fall back to the ground and put the paper strip back in his pocket. "As long as they are light and I don't make them move, I can lift a lot of objects at the same time. I can also do this."

Without any motion from Naruto's part, the sixteen kunai pointed towards a single tree a dozen yards away from the two boys and flew faster than most ninja could throw them. The sixteen kunai ended up lodged in the trunk.

"I can throw them in different directions, at the same time or in groups, or even separately. It's really nice, I guess."

"You are kidding, right? Weapon specialists wished they had that jutsu, Naruto."

Naruto chuckled. "Yeah, Ten-chan hates it."

"Ten-chan, huh?"

Naruto moved back to the original topic, ignoring the strange tone Sasuke had just used. "The problem comes here."

At his command, one of the kunai by his feet took flight and began to trace random patters in the air at high speed. Sharp turns, loops, corkscrews, whatever. A minute or so later, the second kunai joined its twin in the air.

"When I have many objects, I can either keep them still in the air, or throw them once. This kind of manipulation I can only do with two objects, tops. The moment I try to control a third, they go crazy."

The two kunai returned to the ground when Naruto withdrew his paper strip once more. He did the Ram seal while holding the strip. The sixteen kunai buried in the tree trunk dislodged themselves and gently flew back to their owner. One by one, they touched the paper strip, disappearing in tiny poofs of smoke as they did so.

"You skill with seals is probably the best in our class, Naruto."

The blond shrugged. "It comes with the family name. I'm sure you're the only one in our class who can use _**Katon**_……ah, well, besides Hinata."

"Hinata?"

Naruto nodded. "I'm sure she can use _**Hinotama**_. I don't know if she has learned any others."

"Hmm……"

Naruto wasn't lying. He had been honestly surprised when he found out Hinata's fire-wielding abilities weren't limited to Taijutsu. While he hadn't seen her using any jutsu other than _**Hinotama**_, he was definitely sure Saya wouldn't teach her apprentice only the most basic and weakest of Fire jutsu. While Naruto knew his mother didn't have a vast repertoire of Ninjutsu, he also knew teaching Hinata _**Katon**_ techniques was a simple matter of borrowing some scrolls from Shiki's vast library.

"So far I have _**Kage Bunshin**_, _**Senrigan**_, _**Tesabaki**_ and _**Sasayaku Kaze**_, some Fuuinjutsu and the special Taijutsu Saya-kaa-chan taught me."

"_**Sasayaku Kaze**_?"

"That's for sending messages from a distance without anyone else noticing but the person you are sending the message to. It's pretty cool."

"Hnn."

"Ah! I also have _**Zenken no Jutsu**_, but that one……"

"What does it do?"

"It's a jutsu for hardening and sharpening metal. Ten-chan gave me the scroll on my last birthday."

"**Ten-chan**, hmm?"

Once again, Naruto ignored the subtle intonation Sasuke used to address the weapons specialist.

"And there's also the Academy basics and _**Kitsune Koe**_, but that one's only for Itachi impersonations."

"Rot in hell."

Naruto snickered. "Wuss. Anyway, I'm supposed to be a Ninjutsu specialist, but……my Ninjutsu kind of, well……sucks."

"You know more jutsu than any Genin I know, Naruto."

"Speaks the guy who can shoot bigass fireballs from his mouth."

"Hnn."

"Bastard." Naruto could detect smugness in Sasuke's "hnn's".

"Hnn."

"Shut up."

"Hnn."

"Seriously, stop it."

Sasuke humored his friend, but the smug smirk didn't disappear from his face. Too bad Naruto couldn't see it.

"Well, I guess you're lacking power."

Naruto tilted his head from side to side. "That……is not really true."

Drawing out his trusty scroll and unrolling it on the grass in front of him, Naruto unsealed a second, larger piece of paper, approximately twice the size of the one carrying the sixteen kunai. Before Sasuke could say a word or even react, Naruto wrapped the paper on one of the two kunai on the ground and made a short sequence of hand seals. Then he threw the kunai upwards. Sasuke could only follow it with his eyes.

When the kunai reached the peak of its ascent, the seals on the paper tag activated. Four identical paper tags unsealed themselves next to the original, one in every direction. Like their predecessor, the four new tags glowed and revealed eight more tags. Eight unsealed twelve, twelve unsealed sixteen, sixteen unsealed twenty, and so on, growing outwards while keeping the same rhombus shape.

Even Mikoto put aside her read to look at the sky above her backyard adorned with pretty floating paper squares. Sasuke was about to ask what the point of that was when a familiar sizzling sound caught his attention.

Mikoto covered her ears.

"WAIT, NARU-"

"_**Fuuinjutsu**_._** Hourai no Hana**_."

"FUCK YO-**BOOM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!**"

* * *

While traversing the forest of the Houraisan Family Grounds, Naruto sighed. 

"Haaa………a week's worth of work, gone in a second."

"No one asked you to do it, you know." Sasuke grumbled to his left. Mikoto followed them a few steps behind, wearing her unflappable smile.

"Hours and hours of careful calligraphy……"

"The ANBU questioned Mother for fifteen minutes."

"Working overnight……"

"And then that Tenten girl showed up, looked at you and then asked Mother for the bathroom for some reason."

Mikoto giggled and cleared her throat.

"Tracing ink on those paper strips until my arm hurt……"

"I think my ears are still bleeding, Naruto."

"Haaa……" Naruto, who had obviously ignored everything Sasuke said, sighed one last time, and then smiled.

"……but it was fuckin' awesome."

"Language, Naruto-kun."

"Ah, sorry, Mikoto-nee-chan. It was frickin' awesome."

"That is acceptable."

Sasuke rolled his eyes. "Well……I'll admit it was impressive."

"Oh, come on! Just admit it blew you away!"

"It** literally** blew me away, Naruto."

Naruto laughed.

"How come the explosion didn't get you, anyway?"

It was Naruto's turn to smirk smugly. "I'm so badass explosions avoid me on purpose."

"Rrrrrrrright."

"We're here, boys."

The scenario for that afternoon's meeting was a particularly wide expanse of clear land in the forests of eastern Konohagakure, around the size of a football field. Everyone else that was supposed to be there was already there……as well as some unexpected visitors.

As Naruto and the two Uchiha approached the group, Naruto expanded his perception range to recognize the people there. To the right edge of the clearing there were two rows of cushions on the grass. The front row had only three "seats," two of them already occupied by Hyuuga Hiashi and Houraisan Shiki to his right. On the row behind, a tense and ever-attentive Rock Lee and a rather nervous Tenten sat to the right of one Hyuuga Atsuko, who could easily challenge Mikoto to a smiling contest.

Hiashi deigned himself to acknowledge Naruto's "stare" with a nod. Lee only smiled, and Atsuko welcomed the newcomers with a polite bow. Tenten's face bloomed when she noticed Naruto, making sure he noticed her by waving rather effusively.

At the far end of the clearing, opposite from the direction Naruto and the others had arrived from, Houraisan Saya kneeled on a perfect _**seiza**_ position. Behind her, Maito Gai and the Third Hokage sat side by side. The Uchiha didn't fail to notice the Third had forgone his robes and hat of office to wear a black combat suit with padded arm bracers. It was because of this that Naruto failed to recognize him at first "glance." He was so used to recognizing the old man by the shape of his hat and his flowing robes that this new shape proved alien to him. Sarutobi nodded when he felt Naruto's attention on him, hoping _**Senrigan**_ would be able to catch it. Gai offered him a thumbs-up, even if he wasn't sure whether Naruto could see it or not.

In the "corner" between Saya's group and Shiki's group, a lone row of three cushion was so far occupied by the Hyuuga sisters; Hinata in the middle and Hanabi to her left. The place to Hinata's right was empty. While Hinata only straightened her body to let herself known, Hanabi was notably vocal.

"Ooooooooi!!!!! Naruto-niiiiii-chan!!!!"

Cue Hiashi's right eyebrow going upwards. Atsuko held back a giggle.

Sasuke shot an odd look at his blond friend. "Naruto-nii-chan?"

Naruto didn't get a chance to respond. Saya opened her arms in a welcoming gesture and claimed everyone's attention with an unusually solemn voice.

"Welcome, my dear son!!!"

Naruto and the Uchihas stopped in the middle of the clearing, becoming the center of attention. Saya smiled and continued.

"Welcome, Naruto, to your Open Combat Test."

If Naruto had had eyes, they would have gleamed.

_Kick. Ass._

Those who didn't know beforehand (all but Shiki and the two behind Saya) shot stunned looks at the woman, who seemed oblivious to the attention. Her eyes were fixed on her child. However, there was still the matter of Naruto's company.

"Mikoto-san, please take the cushion next to my dear husband."

Mikoto shot a glance at Shiki before looking at Saya and responding with a polite bow.

"Thank you very much for the invitation, Houraisan Saya-sama."

With those words, she walked over to her assigned seat. Offering warm smiles to the two young Genin and the Hyuuga attendant and a courteous bow to the Hyuuga Clan Leader, she sat to Shiki's right.

"Well met, Houraisan-sama."

"Mikoto-san."

Her smile disappearing for a moment, Mikoto leaned close to Shiki's right ear. "Any progress?" She whispered.

"Not yet. We will talk later."

Hiashi, being the skilled man he is, didn't fail to notice the short exchange. Neither did Saya, who shot a sharp glance at her husband before turn her attention to Sasuke.

"Sasuke, dear, please sit next to Hinata-chan over there."

Sasuke shared an uncertain look with Naruto before doing as told. Hinata's sharp, unblinking gaze drilled through his head as he approached them. She was wearing the same clothes he was used to see her in, now complemented by the _**hitai-ate**_ wrapped around her neck. Her unwavering expression made a stark contrast with the youthful innocence her younger sister irradiated.

"Hinata-san." Sasuke made sure to use an honorific in public. His tone carefully concealed any emotion.

"Uchiha." Hinata responded with the same emotionless tone. Sasuke looked at the youngest Hyuuga. What was her name again?

"Yo!" Hanabi extended her right arm to show him her open palm. Her face wore a grin that Sasuke found frighteningly familiar.

"You can call me Hanabi-sama."

The blatant laughter Sasuke heard from the center of the clearing confirmed his suspicion.

_Naruto. It's a Hyuuga Naruto. It's a sign of the end._

"Hana-chan, you rule!!!"

Hanabi's grin grew wider, something Sasuke would have deemed physically impossible moments before.

"I rule."

_I must have done something truly abominable in a past life._ Sasuke concluded. Unable to say, do or think anything else, he quietly sat down.

After the short interlude, Saya turned to Naruto. "Alright, boy, these are the rules."

"Three fights. Fifteen minute intervals between each, to rest and strategize. Anything goes. Don't fight to win; fight to impress. Fight to show us that your combat ability is within acceptable boundaries. That's it."

Naruto nodded, and Saya dropped the bomb.

"Your opponents will be Sarutobi-kun, Gai-kun and me, in that order."

"Oh my." That was Mikoto's reaction. While Lee's eyes got even bigger and Tenten released a tiny gasp, Hiashi only let his eyes narrow. Hanabi was blinking and Sasuke eyes drifted between Naruto and his adoptive mother. Hinata looked like she had just been told she would be sent to marry the Lightning Daimyo.

"You have got to be fucking kidding me." Naruto muttered. _Ah, so that's the old man?_

"Nah, not really." Saya smirked evilly. "Let me finish."

"This is not only a test of your combat ability. It is also a test of your situational awareness, your strategic mindset, your ability to think fast and your teamwork skills."

"Teamwork?"

"Indeed. That is why, before every fight, you will choose of them to assist you." Saya explained, extending her left hand towards the corner where Sasuke and the Hyuuga sisters were seated.

"Eh?" Sasuke blinked. "We get to fight, too?"

"Sweet!" Hanabi exclaimed excitedly. Hinata sighed and smiled gently.

_I will fight by Naruto-kun's side. I can help him. I can protect him._

The short-haired girl embraced the pleasant tingly feeling at the bottom of her stomach.

"Can't I pick Mikoto-nee-chan or Mr. H? They're better than those three together."

"HEY!!!" That was Hanabi.

"As if you are any better!!!" Sasuke voiced his annoyance, too.

Mikoto slowly turned her face to get a good look at Hiashi, carefully concealing her mirth. "………Mr. H?"

"……nobody heard that." Hiashi declared. It was obvious he'd rather be anywhere but there at that moment.

"No, you can't." Saya answered Naruto's question. "You and your partners for each fight will be provided with equipment, but you can also use whatever you have with yourself right now. Are we clear?"

"Uhh, I guess……do we get started right now or……?"

"Like I said, you pick a partner and then you'll have fifteen minutes to prepare."

"Cool."

Naruto turned to look at his three potential partners. "Hana-chan!!! Come here. We're fighting the old man!"

"Yay!!!"

"What the-!?" Sasuke immediately voiced his discomfort. "You didn't even think!!!"

Hanabi was standing up with Sasuke's words stopped her. She looked at the Uchiha and then at her teacher with obvious uncertainty. Then she looked at her sister.

Naruto could have punched Hinata in the gut and she wouldn't have looked worse. _Why?_

Saya frowned. She had to agree with the boy, even if she knew he was obviously doing it to make Naruto feel uncertain. "Are you sure you don't want to think a little bit more, Naruto?"

"Nope. I choose Hana-chan."

"Naruto!!!" Sasuke insisted.

"You'll get your turn, Sasuke!"

But Sasuke wanted to test his skill against the Hokage, so he wouldn't take no for an answer. "You OWE me, damn it!!!"

Naruto's normally calm face contorted into the beginnings of a snarl. "I owe you nothing, you pretentious prick!"

"I wouldn't choose anyone else in the world but Hana-chan for this fight. Believe it." He looked at his apprentice once more. "Come, Hana-chan. We need to do some warm-up before we fight."

"Ah, yes." The little girl shot a nervous glance at her sister before going after Naruto, who had moved away to the most distant corner to prepare.

Saya followed the two with her eyes for a moment before going back to her place.

"You know the drill, Saru." She said without bothering to look at the Kage behind her.

"Fight seriously, but don't kill them?"

"Right."

"But……" The aged man's wrinkles increased with his frown. "…are you sure you want to do this? I mean, he doesn't really……"

"Naruto's no idiot, Saru." Saya interrupted him. "He knows he can't win, not even with a partner. That's why I said what I said. He's not supposed to win. He just has to show he **can **fight."

She turned to look at the Third with a mysterious grin. "That doesn't mean he won't try to win, though."

Sarutobi could only smile and nod at that. "Well then, I believe these old, tired bones of mine could use a little bit of warm-up, too." He declared as he stood up.

"Fighting Hokage-sama……this is just crazy." Tenten shook her head for added effect. Rock Lee nodded.

"But Naruto-san will not hesitate to do his best. I do not know him that well, but I think I can feel the flames of youth within him, and I think so does Gai-sensei."

Tenten didn't bother look at her teammate. Her eyes were fixed on Naruto, who was busy helping Hanabi with her stretches. She couldn't hide the worried expression that marred her face. "Flames of youth, huh……?"

"It's understandable."

"Huh?" Both members of Team Gai suddenly looked at the older woman who accompanied them. Atsuko looked down at Tenten, offering her a warm, placid smile.

"That you are worried about him."

"Eh!? Ah!" Tenten didn't need a mirror to know her face was flaring. "Ah…ah! Well, of course! A-A-Anyone would be worried!!! Ri-right!?" Her voice had become more of a squeak near the end.

"Of course." Atsuko agreed." He's going against Hokage-sama, after all. Therefore, the only thing we can do is offer him our support."

The blushing weapons maiden looked at the elegant Hyuuga lady for a few seconds before lowering her face and nodding bashfully. "Ye-yeah."

"Yosh!!!" Rock Lee clenched his left fist. "We shall cheer for Naruto-san in his youthful exploits!!!"

"That's right, Lee!!!" Gai exclaimed from his distant position. "Always support those who do their best!!!!!"

"YES!!! Gai-sensei!!!"

The three in the front did their best to ignore the exchange taking place behind them.

"Any thoughts, Hiashi?" Shiki inquired of the Hyuuga leader.

"This……should be a perfect opportunity to see if it was a good idea to put my daughter's training in your child's hands."

"Worried?" Mikoto boldly added. Hiashi shot his equivalent of an odd look to the Uchiha lady.

"What kind of parent would I be if I wasn't?"

"Well……" Shiki lazily stretched his arms before standing up. "…if you excuse me for a minute……"

Atsuko, Tenten and Lee noticed Shiki walking away, towards Saya's group. The Hyuuga lady was the first to look back at the young Genin.

"So, where's Neji-kun?"

Tenten blinked. "You know Neji?"She immediately realized the sheer idiocy of that question. "Uh, right……of course you know Neji. I mean……"

"I'm his aunt, if that's what you want to know."

"Oh……" Tenten mumbled. Rock Lee was eyeing Atsuko up and down with a whole new set of eyes. Tenten answered Atsuko's question.

"He said he was not interested."

"Oh……shame." Atsuko's smile widened just a little bit. "I'm sure he doesn't know what he is missing."

Tenten grinned, too. She definitely had to agree.

* * *

"Tch, that dobe……" Sasuke muttered; his chin on his right palm; the corresponding elbow buried on his right leg. He glanced at the Hyuuga girl next to him. He had to admit, he was surprised to find out Naruto's relationship with the Hyuuga seemed to be a lot closer than he would have thought. The little one even called him "nii-chan." Also, Hinata wasn't the blushing, stuttering nervous wreck she normally was around Naruto. 

Yes, he actually notices these things.

In any case, the elder Hyuuga sister looked awfully……tense. Tense and serious.

Hinata, who had obviously noticed Sasuke's attention, finally deigned herself to return the gaze. "……yes?"

"Ah……nothing." He looked away.

"Then please refrain from staring at me like that. It's unsettling."

_What the hell's that supposed to mean!? _"You wouldn't mind if it were 'Naruto-kun', would you?"

"Naruto-kun is blind, and his _**Senrigan **_gives him all-around perception. Even if his attention were on me, I probably would be unable to notice."

_I won't challenge the truth of your statement, though, Uchiha Sasuke._

Sasuke blinked twice, pondering Hinata's words. "Hmm……good point." He looked at Naruto on the opposite side of the clearing. "I still want to know why he picked the little runt."

Hinata's hands squeezed the fabric of her pants. She was trying not to think about it.

* * *

Shiki bent his body forward to get closer to Saya. "So……should I give it to him now?" 

The wife shook her head. "Save it for the last fight. Stick to standard equipment for now."

"Got it." Shiki's attention turned to the Hokage. "Please be kind to those two, Sarutobi-kun." Getting no answer from the man, he turned to Gai. "I didn't greet you properly when you arrived with your Genin, Gai-kun. How have you been?"

"Great, Houraisan-sama."

"That's good to know. I trust you will know to be moderate when your time comes."

Gai nodded and tapped his chest with his right fist. "Of course. I will not be one to smother your child's bright and youthful flame!"

"……right." Shiki was fairly used to Gai's colorful use of words. He looked back down at his wife. "You too, dear. Please be kind to him."

Saya responded with her best fake innocent smile. "I'll consider it if you give me a kiss."

Shiki only frowned. "Why should I have to do that? He's your son." And with that he walked away, this time towards Naruto and Hanabi.

"Aww shucks."

Sarutobi raised an eyebrow in amusement. "Why should you have to make deals to get him to kiss you? He's your husband."

Saya blinked. "Ah……touché."

Sarutobi and Gai frowned as one. Quite odd, that woman was at times.

* * *

"Naruto-nii-chan, what are we going to……?" Hanabi, sitting down on the grass, inquired while Naruto pushed her back down so she would stretch and touch the tip of her feet with her hands. 

"Storm of Blades."

Hanabi blinked. "Is that……?"

"Hana-chan, we're fighting the friggin' Hokage. He can deal with anything we throw at him. That's why we have to go with the best we have." He leaned over her head, prompting Hanabi to look up at the _**hitai-ate**_ that covered his eye sockets. "Or…maybe……you don't want me to?"

Hanabi was old enough to detect the faint tinge of sadness in Naruto's voice. She smiled and shook her head.

"We'll do it."

It was at this point that they noticed the approaching figure of Houraisan Shiki. "Hello." He greeted the two. "I thought you might need some tools."

"Shuriken!!!" Hanabi cried eagerly, stretching her arms as if expecting a gift. Shiki raised an eyebrow.

"Hmm, now that I think about it, do you even know how to throw weapons, Hanabi-chan?"

Hanabi looked positively peeved. "I'm not a baby! I'm an Academy student!"

"First year Academy student." Shiki clarified, and the young Hyuuga pouted.

"Give me the flying star thingies already!!!"

"Not helping your case at all, Hanabi-chan."

Naruto chuckled. "Give her a full holster, sensei. She knows how to throw both shuriken and kunai, believe me."

"Hmm……" The seal expert smiled amusedly. "……if the teacher is going to vow for her, then I guess it's okay."

"Awesome!!!"

_She's completely imprinted on Naruto. I don't know whether to laugh or fear for the future._

"What about you, Naruto?"

"Kunai. Kunai and things that explode."

Hanabi's pupil-less eyes gleamed. "Can I get some of those, too?"

"Hell no." Both Houraisan declared at the same time.

"Awww……"

Shiki got on his knees to unfurl a scroll (Naruto and Hanabi couldn't figure out where it came from) and unseal the required implements. Hanabi watched in silence while Naruto listed all sorts of names she knew nothing about (she only recognized "wire") and Shiki supplied him with different bottles and capsules of different shapes and sizes. Hanabi grabbed a leg holster stuffed with shuriken and wrapped it around her right leg. In the end, Naruto just took Shiki's scroll in its entirety. He had a leg holster on his left leg, a small pouch on his left side and two scrolls (Shiki's and the one he always carries with him) on the scroll holders (simple bands of cloth, like the ones used to hold a belt) on the lower back of his cheongsam.

Eventually, the fifteen minutes reached an end. Naruto and Hanabi stood together on one side; Sarutobi on the other. The girl was clenching and unclenching her hands nervously. Naruto placed a gentle hand on Hanabi's right shoulder.

"Hana-chan."

The startled girl jumped an inch before turning left to look up at Naruto. "Yes?"

"We've been playing and training together almost every day for, what, four years?"

"Yup."

Naruto nodded. "You're my best friend. That's why……I need to ask you to trust me."

Hanabi blinked, as she figured out what Naruto was talking about. When she did, she only smiled.

"I trust you, Naruto-nii-chan."

With those words, she looked away from Naruto and at their opponent. "We are ready here!!!"

Saya chuckled at the girl's enthusiasm. "Saru, you ready?"

The aged Hokage only shrugged. "As ready as I could be."

"Alright. You two! Naruto! Hanabi! Get ready!!!"

Hanabi moved two steps in front of Naruto, lowering her body and readying her right hand to reach the holster on her leg. Naruto only crossed his arms in front of his chest while he willed his _**Senrigan **_to cover the whole clearing and a little bit beyond.

"What kind of stance is that?" Tenten muttered in a worried tone. Atsuko didn't comment.

"Naruto-san!!!" Lee exclaimed, which prompted winces on those around him. "EXPLODE with youthful power!!! Do your best!!!!!"

Tenten blinked, mentally kicking herself for being such an idiot. Like hell she would be outdone by **Lee** of all people.

"Go Naruto!!! Show me some cool moves!!!!" She would have continued, but she didn't like the way everyone was looking at her, especially that quiet Hyuuga girl that apparently never blinked.

Naruto didn't say anything, but Tenten's cheer made him smile a little bit.

"BEGIN!!!"

"Go!" Naruto shouted at the same time he made the cross-seal. Hanabi,_** Byakugan**_ activated, dashed to engage the Third Hokage in melee.

"_**Kage Bunshin no Jutsu**_!!!"

Twenty-four shadow clones appeared around Naruto. In groups of two, they moved to make a circle around the battlefield.

Due to the difference in height, Sarutobi expected Hanabi to go after his lower body, hoping to disable his legs with swift _**Jyuuken**_ strikes. This is the reason he was honestly surprised when the first thing she did was jumping.

_Such an obvious attack……_ He was almost disappointed. Hanabi jumped, aiming her right first at his face. Sarutobi pushed the offending arm to the side with his open left hand.

"Too straightfor-" Hiashi was about to voice the disappointment he shared with the Hokage, but chose to keep quiet and watch Hanabi's next move.

The little Hyuuga bent her upper body forward and to the right; the counterweight aiding her to lift her left leg to aim a kick at the right side of her opponent's face. Her leg impacted the metal of Sarutobi's right arm bracer. Still in midair, but beginning the feel the pull of gravity, Hanabi immediately followed up with her left fist, once again attempting to punch The Third's face. Sarutobi was ready to either dodge or block. What he didn't expect was Hanabi dropping her arm in the last moment, just in time to get it out of the way of a kunai aimed straight at his right eye!

"Oh!!" He gasped as he moved slightly to his left, letting the kunai breeze past him. The distraction allowed Hanabi to twist her body one last time in the air, making a wide circle with her right leg, raising it until her foot was point straight up. Sarutobi's danger sense kicked in and told him to get the hell out of there.

"_**Tenshuu Ranbu**_!!!"

The kick laced with wind power exploded on the ground where the Third had been standing a moment before. Hanabi landed safely, not wasting time to locate her target in the midst of the cloud of dirt her kick had lifted off. Meanwhile, Sarutobi was already dealing with a new threat: kunai attacking him from every direction. He dodged and blocked with his arm guards, looking around to get a glimpse of his surroundings. That's when he noticed the clones.

"Hmm……ingenious." Saya admitted with a grin.

Mikoto had an attentive expression on her face. "That is……"

"_**Tesabaki**_……" Tenten completed.

Sasuke's eyes had an odd gleam. He was honestly impressed. "He can only manipulate two at the same time……"

"……so he uses shadow clones." Hinata's eyes were brimming with happiness. Her Naruto-kun was so fantastic!

"How many can you dodge, old man!?" Twelve Naruto clones shouted at the same time, annoying the Hokage to no end. However, he was more concerned about the twenty-four kunai constantly going after him. Striking from different angles and different directions, it was very hard to keep up with them. If he wasn't so busy, he'd actually compliment Naruto for his strategy.

"_**Furyuushou**_!!!"

Sarutobi gasped and leapt to his left, getting away from the path of the miniature cyclone Hanabi had unleashed. He winced when a kunai nicked his left shoulder, but ignored the pain as the little Hyuuga was back into the fray.

_Seems like I'll actually have to put some effort into this._

Using just her middle and index fingers, Hanabi's leapt in front of her Hokage, left foot first, left hand aiming for his right leg.

_Jyuuken!_

Sarutobi took a step backwards with the targeted leg at the same time his right arm blocked two kunai and then dropped vertically to get in the way of a third one. He had to inch his head backwards to let a kunai from his left wheeze in front of his eyes and duck to dodge another one, all this in the time between Hanabi's initial _**Jyuuken**_ strike and her following attack, a roundhouse right kick. Once again, the Hokage was forced to backtrack, more because of the incoming kunai than because of Hanabi's kick. One kunai grazed the underside of her right thigh as she raised it to do her kick. A second one passed dangerously close to her left ear. A third one passed through the space between her left arm and her chest, and a fourth one made a sharp turn downwards after it appeared from behind her head.

Sarutobi was too busy dealing with kunai that he couldn't retaliate at Hanabi before she could get back on two feet, and everyone present knew that was exactly what Naruto intended.

"It's a good offense and prevents Hokage-sama from attacking her. It's very, very good." Mikoto commented.

"And Hanabi-chan keeps putting pressure on him while he's unable to fight back." Shiki added.

"It's……a good strategy." Hiashi admitted. Shiki nodded.

Indeed, the only thing Sarutobi had done so far was defend against the kunai and Hanabi's attacks. Sarutobi, running out of space (he would stumble upon Saya and Gai if he kept retreating); found an opening to make a somersault over Hanabi's small body. The girl quickly spun around while making ample circles with her right arm after picking a single kunai from her holster, gathering the wind around before throwing the weapon. Sarutobi barely had time to move after landing to dodge the missile Hanabi had thrown at him. Driven by wind force rather than the mechanical force of her arms, the kunai had flown much faster than any shinobi could throw it, until it completely buried itself in a tree behind the aged Hokage.

"Whoa!!!" Lee gasped. "That was FAST!!!"

Tenten was in conflict. Naruto's wind manipulation was putting her weapon skills on shame. Hanabi's latest trick was the last drop. However……

"That's………that's so frickin' COOL!!!!! NARUTO!!! YOU RULE!!!!!"

Hanabi went after the Hokage to resume her flurry of blows. Behind her, twenty-four kunai chased after their prey with strange twists and sharp turns before striking from odd angles.

_Only half of the clones are controlling kunai……_Hinata suddenly noticed.

_The real Naruto hasn't moved so far. _Hiashi realized.

Sarutobi blocked her right palm thrust with his left bracer. Hanabi immediately moved her right arm to the right and the rest of her body to the left. A kunai passed through the space where her head had been an instant before, forcing the Third to duck. Hanabi bent her legs, too, and two more kunai caressed her hair on the way down, which Sarutobi dodged by lowering his head faster than the rest of his body. Hanabi made a sweeping kick to try to get Sarutobi off balance. The old man made a clumsy back-flip to get away until he was on all fours, facing down. Three more kunai which had been flying low suddenly appeared from behind Hanabi's body, forcing Sarutobi to push chakra into both arms and legs to launch his body upwards. He had to block and dodge at least half a dozen kunai in the air, which allowed Hanabi to stand up and swing her right arm upwards in front of the Third.

Sarutobi felt a gust of wind pushing his legs, propelling his lower body upwards and screwing his balance in mid-air. Upside down, he made a rapid spin to defend against kunai coming from opposite directions. Hanabi was spinning counter-clockwise and readying her left arm for a second swing. This time it was a physical attack; a palm thrust Sarutobi blocked with his left arm. However, upside-down and in midair, he didn't have many ways to retaliate, so he just crossed his arms in front of his face. He was surprised, however, when Hanabi didn't simply strike his arms, but fell on one knee.

_What is-_

"_**Tentotsu Renshou**_!!!"

It was an odd combination of two palm thrusts, _**Furyuushou**_ and an uppercut. In any case, Sarutobi felt as if his two arms had been dislocated off his shoulders when two strong impacts sent him flying upwards.

"She hit him." Hinata whispered, as if she couldn't believe what she had seen.

"AWESOME!!!" Tenten was a lot more vocal.

"Oh my." Atsuko was…courteous, as always. Shiki and Hiashi only frowned.

The Third curled his body into a ball. His arms and legs received a barrage of kunai, which bounced off his limbs with sharp clanking sounds.

_He's wearing protectors under his pants, too._ Everyone concluded immediately.

Nobody noticed when he drew them out, but the point was that Sarutobi threw a volley of shuriken at Hanabi. But that wasn't the whole thing.

"_**Shuriken! Kage Bunshin no Jutsu**_!!!"

Hiashi clenched his robes when the twelve kunai aimed at his daughter became two hundred and forty. Hanabi didn't escape, and Naruto knew what she intended to do.

"Hana-chan, no!"

"_**Kazaguruma**_!!!"

Hinata gasped. Sasuke was too amazed to pick his jaw from the grass.

"No fucking way!!!!!" Saya shouted when Hanabi began to spin, her arms stretched to the max. It was as if every single pore of her body was releasing chakra; her rotation driving it and shaping it into a dome of energy that shielded her from the barrage. Her rotation increased to the point that her body was pushed upwards until she was floating half a foot over the ground, spinning without restrain, the dome becoming a sphere.

Everyone was still dealing with the shock of Hanabi's version of the trademark Hyuuga "Absolute Defense" when the chakra sphere abruptly, and dramatically, exploded.

"Gyaaaah!!!" Hanabi's cry of pain from within the cloud of black smoke felt like a stab in the heart to Hiashi, Atsuko and Naruto.

"Hana-chan!!! Damn it!!!" The real Naruto cursed while he unfurled the scroll Shiki had given him. Quickly unsealing twelve paper strips, six of them flew via _**Tesabaki**_ until they reached a standstill, hovering above the Hokage. The other six were floating a few inches above ground level, right under the Hokage and following him as he fell.

"GO!!!" Naruto exclaimed as he made the Ram seal, and the dozen paper strips released a barrage of kunai at the Third, who suddenly found himself attacked from both above and below. His body became a living pincushion……and then exploded in a cloud of smoke.

"_**Kage Bunshin**_!? When!?" But Naruto already knew the answer. _When__** Kazaguruma**__ exploded and everyone focused on Hana-chan._

A corner of his all-around vision caught a volley of kunai from the trees above and to his right. Extending his right hand, the kunai aimed towards him stopped in midair. Naruto held back to urge to smirk._ Damn, I'm so badass._

Unfortunately, half a dozen shadow clones weren't badass enough and were struck. Naruto winced as the feedback of their "deaths" hit him. _Not cool._

Sarutobi emerged from the foliage, falling on the ground with a crouch, immediately jumping to the side so that twenty-four kunai would end up impaled on the tree he had used as concealment until just now.

_Ah, so that's why only half of the clones……_

Precisely; it was a safety measure. When one of the clones controlling kunai was destroyed or ran out of chakra, one of the inactive clones would take its place, so that the kunai never went out of control.

Sarutobi went for the real Naruto at the same time Hanabi emerged from the smoke cloud. Naruto's free hand (his left) reached for the pouch on his waist, grabbing a long glass tube with a cork and holding three tiny gray spherical capsules in the gaps between his fingers. Removing the cork with a deft flick of his thumb, he swung his hand just before Sarutobi could reach him. The liquid formerly contained in the tube ignited the moment it was released from confinement, creating a line of fire between the two combatants.

"What is **that**!?" Tenten exclaimed. The hungry gleam in her eyes didn't escape anyone's notice. Lee unconsciously edged a few inches away from his teammate.

"Liquid fire." Shiki calmly explained. "Ask him to teach you how to make it."

"Oh, I'm **so** asking him."

Naruto and Sarutobi took two steps away from the flames. Before the Third could dash around them, Naruto threw the gray capsules at the ground.

The entire audience winced and closed their eyes when the flash capsules exploded, releasing a blinding light, and making vision impossible for everyone who wasn't already blind.

"Gotcha!"

The first thing the blinded Hokage felt was a double palm thrust square on the chest. A blast of wind hit him immediately afterwards, as if shadowing the first attack.

Those who were the furthest from the explosion (Saya, Gai, Sasuke and Hinata) managed to open their eyes and get a glimpse of the rest from here. Naruto quickly made a clockwise spin with his arms close to his body, stretching them at around three-quarters turn to smack the Third's chin with his right palm and his chest with the left. Immediately retracting his arms, Naruto finished the whole spin and spun a further ninety degrees, striking at the same spots but changing hands. It was at this point that Shiki's group recovered their sight.

Naruto changed direction, retracing the extra ninety degrees he spun to get face-to-face with the Hokage, thrusting his right palm on the left side of Sarutobi's chest as he did so. His left palm followed with a thrust to the liver, followed by a right uppercut. Much faster than before –the momentum of the wind he was gathering aiding him–, he spun two hundred and seventy degrees counterclockwise, thrusting his two palms on Sarutobi's chest with thunderous force.

"Oof, harsh!" Sasuke exclaimed excitedly. Those familiar with _**Yokazeryuu**_ had already figured out what Naruto was doing.

Naruto wasn't done. Another ninety degrees clockwise preceded a right palm thrust on the Third's face. Three seconds had passed since the flash. He still had around two seconds of absolute blindness. It was time to end it. A low blow with his left fist bent the Third's body forwards. Naruto spun counterclockwise one more time to make a full turn, lowering his body as his did so. When he was done he made an upwards double thrust, putting enough power in the blow to throw his opponent upwards, making him arch his body backwards in a very uncomfortable manner. At the same time this happened, Naruto slid under the airborne Hokage, thrusting his right hand on the old man's tailbone in the way, making him turn upside down in the air.

The Hokage's body actually made two more turns in midair. Naruto was standing straight, with his back to the Hokage. All eyes were on him; he could feel them. It was time for the grand finale.

At the moment Sarutobi's body began its descent towards the ground, Naruto spun around, extending his hands to barely touch the fabric of the Third's battle garb. His hands were tingling; he could feel the wind gathering in the space between his hands and Sarutobi's chest; a storm in miniature gathering and feeding on the inertia of the previous blows and the wind chakra he had released as he struck and spun. He could feel it: gathering, condensing, taking shape.

A spiral.

"_**Adazakura……Ranbushou**_!!!!!"

If it could be compared with anything, it would be the feeling of a hundred kunai impaling your body one after the other. That was the storm Naruto unleashed upon the Third. Whipping him like angry, blood-thirsty lashes, the ferocious winds battered his body for almost three entire seconds before blowing him away like a rag doll.

"YES!!!" Saya exclaimed enthusiastically. "Perfect execution!!!"

"Excellent." Gai crossed his arms and nodded. _Just like Himeko-san……_

"YOOOSH!!!! EXPLOSION OF **YOUTH**!!!!!"

"Impressive." Hiashi declared.

"Beautiful." Mikoto added.

"Hnn." That was Shiki.

"Oh my." Atsuko muttered on more time. Her quiet tone and her closeness made her the only one who caught Tenten's whispered words.

"………I think I came."

"Holyshitthatwasfuckin'awesome." Sasuke, who at some point had lifted his body to stand on one knee, fell back on his butt. Yes, he said that without spaces between words. Hinata……Hinata was giggling like a silly schoolgirl.

_Naruto-kun……my Naruto-kun is truly fantastic!_

Sarutobi barely reacted to the feeling of sharp metal on his neck. Looking up, he saw Hanabi's small frame looking down at him with his mischievous grin.

"Gotcha."

Everyone was stunned to silence. The Third Hokage had a kunai on his throat. Checkmate.

Two seconds of silence, followed by laughter.

The Third Hokage's laughter was warm and full of mirth, as if he honestly found the whole situation fairly amusing.

"Ahahahaha, right, right……you got me………not."

And his face cracked.

"Eh?"

When the cracks in his body grew wider and bits of skin began to literally fall apart (!?), Hanabi crawled away, horrified. Hiashi, breaking the rules of the test but not giving a damn, warned his daughter of the significance of this.

"Rock clone!!!"

_What!?_Hanabi gasped, looking at her father and then back at the crumbling Hokage-clone. _Then where is the-_

Her thoughts were interrupted when a familiar sizzling sound reached her ears. She was sure she had heard it before, she just couldn't……_Tag!_

Her lack of experience didn't allow her to react in time. Fortunately for her, Naruto's reflexes were quite sharp.

Hanabi could only blink when a pile of clones fell upon the Hokage-clone, a second before the exploding tag concealed in its rocky body fulfilled its purpose. The youngest Hyuuga shrieked when the shockwave blew her away, the clones taking the brunt of the explosion for her.

Naruto shuddered at the feeling of his clones being destroyed at the same time. _It wasn't a very strong tag. It wouldn't have hurt her seriously, but it would have knocked her out. _"Hana-chan!!!" He grabbed Shiki's scroll and rushed towards her. She was having problems getting on her two feet.

"Naruto……nii-cha-"

Her words were drowned by the ground exploding around her. Suddenly surrounded by something dark and menacing, Hanabi nervously looked around. She saw teeth. Lots of teeth.

Everyone else got a much better view. A huge dragon head made of solid rock had emerged from the ground, trapping Hanabi in its huge maw and obviously intending to snap the jaws shut.

"Shit!!!" Naruto cursed. Two exploding tags emerged from the scroll in Naruto's left hand, sticking to opposite sides of the rock construct. Naruto stopped his mad dash and took a wide stance, dropping the scroll to gather wind around both arms.

"_**Furyuushou**_!!!"

Hanabi cried when Naruto's cyclone hit her square on the chest, sending her flying outside and away from the dragon's maw. At the same time, the two tags exploded. However, instead of being destroyed, the dragon head began to ascend, revealing a long and thick serpentine body of stone.

"_**Doton. Doryuukouken no Jutsu.**_"

"Damn it, where is he?" Naruto muttered to himself. "Hana-chan!!! Hide!!!"

"Ah!? Ye-yes!!!" And she disappeared, dashing towards the trees to gain concealment. With that, the behemoth of solid rock turned its attention towards Naruto.

"Bring it on, big boy."

"_**Katon. Goukakyuu no Jutsu**_."

_Right! Show me where you are!_

Much to Naruto's disappointment and utter shock, the dragon opened its wide mouth and released a huge ball of fire aimed at him!

"Holy SHIT!!!" Naruto yelled while he leapt to safety; which isn't saying much, 'cause the dragon lunged at him the moment he moved. Naruto jumped away, but the dragon displayed amazing speed and flexibility by twisting its body to change direction and ram Naruto before he could react.

The blind blond gasped when the massive head slammed his body. He was sure something broke somewhere, but his musings were interrupted by an even more intense pain when his back hit a tree.

Sasuke grimaced, his awe at the sight of the gigantic dragon replaced by phantom pain. _That's got to hurt._

Hinata had closed her eyes, incapable of witnessing Naruto's suffering._ Naruto-kun!!!_

Naruto was unable to voice his pain, his lungs empty as they were. The dragon crawled away from him in a snake-like fashion, ready to ram him again if it became necessary.

Curiously enough, Naruto's thoughts were more on the lines of "_I'm supposed to go through TWO more fights like this!?_"

"Naruto-nii-chan!!!!!"

Naruto raised his head, trying to get a glimpse of his partner. She was well hidden among the trees, though.

"He's inside!!! Hokage-sama is inside the dragon!!!"

_Right!__** Byakugan!**_

"Great job, Hana-cha-oof!!!" Naruto was crushed by the giant dragon a second time. There was no gasp or cry of pain this time, though; just a poof of smoke. The dragon raised its head one more time, opening its mouth to reveal the figure of the Third Hokage looking down at where Naruto had stood.

_Very fast __**Kawarimi**__ with a Shadow Clone………now, where are you?_

For at least a minute, he waited in absolute silence. He had to give credit to the two children: their stealth was top-notch. However, _**Senrigan**_'s weakness kicked in. He could have followed the trace of chakra Naruto's perception jutsu created but, this being a test of Naruto's skill, he allowed the boy to finish preparing whatever plan he was working on.

Shiki found the smirk on Hiashi's face amusing. Being the one with the_** Byakugan**_, Shiki easily inferred the Clan Leader knew where his daughter was and what she was doing.

"This should be interesting." A female voice announced behind Hiashi, who nodded in agreement. Atsuko, her own _**Byakugan**_ active, shot knowing looks at everyone around.

"Just watch."

Sarutobi's hardened shinobi instincts kicked in when a shuriken emerged from the trees to his right, above Saya and Gai. Blocking it easily with his bracers, Sarutobi noticed a small figure running…no, jumping up the dragon's body.

_She still doesn't know tree climbing, of course. _He correctly concluded as he performed a series of hand seals.

"_**Doton.**__** Doryuu Taiga**_."

The part of the rock dragon upon which Hanabi was standing suddenly became a river of mud that dragged Hanabi away. Sarutobi was about to discard her and try to find Naruto when his danger sense kicked in again.

A second Hanabi appeared from behind the first one, jumped on her shoulders and launched herself at the dragon's mouth, at the same time the other Hanabi, trapped in the mud, exploded in a cloud of smoke!

"_**Kage Bunshin**_!?"

"He taught her _**Kage Bunshin**_?" Shiki mused.

Hanabi grinned in midair. "That's the only clone I can make today! Catch!!!" She explained before throwing a volley of kunai at the Hokage. Sarutobi readied his bracers to block the incoming projectiles, only to gape when they all became clouds of smoke, revealing a number of Narutos wearing identical and very disturbing grins.

That's when Sarutobi noticed the active exploding tags attached to their clothes.

"Kamikaze attack!!!!"

The explosion that followed was quite impressive. However, all the spectators managed to see the Third leaping out of the dragon's maw in time.

Well, all but Tenten, who was too busy clapping and giggling like an idiot. "AWESOME!!!!!"

Sarutobi quickly scanned the ground, looking for his opponents, which allowed him to notice Hanabi throwing a pair of kunai at him. He noticed the tags attached to the projectiles in time to throw two kunai of his own at them, deflecting them away from his person.

He knew he was caught when the tags didn't explode. _What the-!?_

A figure clad in white, blue and orange emerged from the trees, jumping to meet the Sandaime in midair. Naruto looked down at the Third sporting his most mischievous grin.

"Hana-chan can't use exploding tags yet. Those are clean paper strips."

Sarutobi couldn't stop himself from chuckling. "Hoho…is that so?"

As the two began their fall, the rock dragon finally collapsing behind them, Naruto struck with a right hook to the chest which Sarutobi caught with his left hand. The boy followed with a left knee kick which was also blocked by the Third's right knee. Naruto didn't hesitate to continue his assault with his left fist.

"_**Tenken Ranbu**_!"

The pulse of wind blew Sarutobi down, but the old man easily maneuvered his body to fall on his two feet. He noticed Hanabi running towards him, but Naruto threw two kunai first. Sarutobi raised his arms to block them, but the kunai circled around his arms strangely.

"Gotcha!!!" Naruto claimed.

_This is……wire!_

Grasping the two kunai tied to the opposite end of the wire, Naruto threw them in opposite directions, stretching the wire and forcibly stretching Sarutobi's arms, holding him when the kunai ended up embedded on distant tree trunks.

"Wow." Shiki blinked in unbridled fascination. "That's……"

"Creative?" Mikoto offered.

"Surprising?" Atsuko proposed at the same time.

"Intelligent?" Lee shared simultaneously.

"Downright brilliant?" Tenten.

"GO, HANA-CHAN!!!!!"

"But he forgot something important." Saya muttered. Gai nodded.

A grinning Hanabi rushed towards the Hokage, ready to _**Jyuuken**_ to old man to kingdom come. She stretched her arm……and it was caught between a pair of feet.

"Oh shi-" Naruto managed to vocalize before the same two feet slammed Hanabi's chest with the force of a charging rhino, sending the poor girl to kingdom come instead. With his feet on the ground once more, Sarutobi channeled his chakra to his arms, pulling at the wires until the two kunai holding him came out of the trees they were impaled in. All four limbs free, Sarutobi went after Naruto who had just put his feet on the ground. Using speed he hadn't shown before, the Third Hokage closed the distance between the two, and Naruto readied himself for a Taijutsu battle, having no time to prepare any explosive tricks. Grasping a pair of kunai and willing a second pair to fly around him, Naruto assumed his stance……

"Alright, that's enough!!!"

It took Naruto a moment to catch Saya's words, but his mind cleared when Sarutobi relaxed and sighed rather loudly.

"It seems we are done, Naruto."

With those words, the forest clearing exploded with motion.

"Naruto!"

"Naruto-kun!!!"

"Naruto-san!"

"……ah…umm……dobe!!!"

Naruto let himself fall on his rear, mimicking the Third Hokage and releasing a rather loud sigh of relief. "Man, that was harsh." He blinked, realizing he was forgetting something very important. "Hana-chan!" He hurried to get on his knees, turning around to look for his partner. "Hana-chan, are you okay!?"

"She's okay, Naruto. Nothing major. Sarutobi was careful, you know?" Saya was kneeling by the fallen Hyuuga girl's side, applying basic medical jutsu to aid her recovery.

Curiously enough, Hinata was the first to make it to his side, despite being the furthest. "Naruto-kun! How are you feeling?"

"Ah, Hina-chan." Naruto grinned at the feel of her hand on his right shoulder. "Umm…sweaty. Sweaty and a bit dizzy. And my chest kinda hurts…but not so much." Naruto quickly added before Hinata got too worried. "Ne, how did I do? Did you think I was cool, huh?"

The sight of his proud, happy smile soothed Hinata's preoccupations. _He's okay. He is happy. All is well._ She was about to shower him with praise when a figure suddenly emerged from Naruto's other side and kneeled in front of him.

"Naruto, that was **awesome**!!!" Hinata winced at Tenten's enthusiasm. Naruto was all smiles. "With the explosions and the combos and the liquid fire and the explosions and the flash bombs and the kunai and the **explosions**!!! Will you teach me how to do that, ne, ne? Teach me? Pleaaaase? Will ya? Huh? Huh?"

Tenten kept leaning forward with every word. By the time she was done, Naruto had his back on the grass and Tenten loomed on all fours over him.

"Tenten-san, you are disturbing Naruto-kun." Hinata, who was using every bit of willpower not to commit a heinous crime (too many witnesses around), declared with a cold voice.

"Of course not!" Tenten quickly dismissed the younger girl. "Naruto adores me! And he'll teach me all those cool tricks, **riiiiiiight**?"

Naruto could only sweatdrop. There was nothing but the shape of Tenten's thermal signature in his perception range.

"Um, you know, you're actually kinda disturbing me a little, Ten-chan……"

He probably wouldn't have minded if he could see her face, but with_** Senrigan **_it really gets kinda freaky having a wavy bunch of colors so close to you.

An instant later, a strong hand pulled the weapons freak away from Naruto. Tenten glared at the surprisingly strong Hinata.

"He said it. You are an eyesore. Go away."

"YOU go away!"

"Naruto-san!"

"Ah, Lee. 'sup?"

"Naruto-san, you valiant exploits have impressed me to no end! You are truly worthy of admiration, to be able to stand in front of Sandaime-sama like you did!!! You have driven me to work even harder!!!"

"Ah…well, good for you…and thanks, I guess?" Naruto sighed. He really needed to catch a breath. "But, really, you know Hokage-sama was just letting us show our moves, right? I mean, I'm sure he could have beaten us in an instant if he wanted to."

"Maybe……" Sasuke finally reached the others and joined the conversation, shooting an odd look at the two females in the middle of a glaring duel before looking down at Naruto. "…but I'll admit you put up a good show." He looked up at Rock Lee. "Who are you anyway?"

The forlorn Lee wouldn't get to answer, interrupted as he was by Naruto.

Naruto gaped. "A good show!? **A good show**!? I think we broke the Aweso-meter!!!" Naruto turned to find Hanabi again. "Right, Hana-chan?"

"Yup!!!" The fallen girl agreed with an ear-to-ear grin. "Totally awesome!!!" Naruto grinned and look up at Sasuke.

"So, teme, think you can be as kickass as Hana-chan?"

"Are you kidding me? Who the hell do you think I am?"

"Ah, good, good. Because you're next, you know."

A gleam appeared in Sasuke's obsidian eyes. "……excellent."

Hinata, who despite her little glare war with Tenten remained aware of the conversation around her, turned to look down at her sun. "Eh?"

Naruto immediately returned the look with a gentle smile. "I'll need you for the last fight, Hina-chan. Can I count on you against Saya-kaa-chan?"

Hinata's eyes widened in realization. A painful tug at her heart made her feel sick. How could she have thought something so horrible?

_Of course……of course! Naruto-kun would never discard me! He's just saving me for the last fight! He's saving me for the most difficult opponent! Oh, Naruto-kun, I'm so shameful! I'm so sorry I doubted you! I……I'm still weak._

She hadn't noticed she had become the center of attention, not just from Naruto and the other young ones, but from the Third and the group of adults tending to Hanabi. Her head hung low and covered by the front locks of her hair, so nobody could see the mask of self-loathing that marred her expression for a second. Erasing any trace of emotion from her face, she moved away the loose strands of hair and offered Naruto a business smile.

"I am yours to command, Naruto-kun."

_I am yours, Naruto-kun. Please use me._

"Hanabi."

The youngest Hyuuga sought the figure of her father. The tall Clan Leader looked down at his daughter with his usual expression that concealed no thought or emotion.

"Hanabi, you skill with the Night Breeze Dragon……no, you skills in general have surpassed my expectations. I am pleased. You did well. I am proud of you."

For once, Hiashi didn't cringe at the sight of his daughter's Naruto-esque grin. "Thank you very much, Father."

"Naruto."

"Hmm? What's up, H?"

Hiashi resorted to releasing a single spike of killing intent. The brat was doing it on purpose, after all. Naruto's reaction was to grin even more. Mikoto elegantly covered her mouth (and her smile) with the back of her right hand.

"You have taught my daughter well. You have my gratitude." His words were accompanied by a polite bow that drew raised eyebrows from a vast majority of those present. It wasn't every day that the leader of the Hyuuga Clan bowed before a twelve-year-old. Especially one who had just called him "H."

"Ah, don't worry. I know it was because of a deal and everything, but it's been a hell of a lot of fun." He shot a grin at his prized student. "Hana-chan's the best."

Hanabi would have run over to hug him and return the compliment if she didn't feel like someone had dropped an elephant on her.

Hiashi nodded. "I see. Then it pains me even more to tell you that you will not teach Hanabi anymore."

"WHAT!?"

Naruto didn't have time to open his mouth. That was Hanabi.

"What!?" She repeated. "Why!? No!!!" The first tear dripped down her left cheek. "Why!?"

Hiashi sighed. He was expecting a negative response from Hanabi, just not instant tears and puppy dog eyes.

"Hanabi, now that Naruto has become a shinobi of Konoha, he has responsibilities to fulfill. Between his missions and his own training, he doesn't have time for you."

The adults in the group knew more. Hanabi's training had been originally intended to be a secret. Hanabi's loose mouth allowed the secret to reach the Hyuuga elders. Hiashi's authority kept the elders' mouth shut, but the status of Hanabi as Naruto's apprentice was very close to becoming public. While Naruto had become a Clan Heir, the fact remained that Houraisan was the lowliest of clans in the eyes of the public. Most of the common folk saw the family of three as nothing but a group of Hyuuga lap dogs, given Great Clan status because of the good will of Hyuuga Hiashi. While the higher-ranked members of the shinobi population were aware of the history and reputation of the Houraisan name, it would be next to impossible to convince the villagers of Clan Houraisan's power and worth after a long history of secrecy.

In addition, Naruto's status as the Kyuubi's vessel still overrode his status as Clan Heir.

In other words, Naruto's relationship with Hanabi had to be reduced to "occasional acquaintances," which was the most they could get, and only because of Houraisan's status as ally of the Hyuuga. Hinata had the advantage of belonging to Naruto's same Academy class, hence she was allowed to be a bit closer to him (within diplomatic boundaries), especially if they ended up in the same team.

"Bu-but, no!!!" Hanabi desperately denied her father's words. "Naruto-nii-chan can still teach me!!! Right, Naruto-nii-chan!?"

Naruto couldn't see her desperate expression, and he was thankful for that. He could feel the need in her voice, though. However, he couldn't give her the answer she wanted. It pained him to admit it, but he knew Hiashi was right.

Those who weren't in the know about Naruto's deal with Hiashi (namely, Sasuke and Team Gai) could only draw quick conclusions. First of all, Hanabi's combat style and her very presence that afternoon finally made sense. Second, Hiashi had just done something horrible to his daughter.

The Academy was one thing, missions were something completely different. They would consume most of his time, especially if they involved leaving Konoha.

"………Na……Naruto-nii-chan? Nee? You……you are still going to teach me, right? Right?" Her words came out muted, almost like whispers. Her throat suddenly ached and felt raspy, and there was a tugging reaching for her insides that Hanabi found horrible. Every second in which Naruto didn't answer; every second in which Naruto didn't respond with his usual smile and his words full of enthusiasm and joy made the squeezing feeling stronger and more painful, letting it grow and extend throughout her body until it made her feel chills all over her skin.

"Naruto……nii…chan?"

When he dropped his head apologetically, Hanabi knew true despair.

"Naruto has no choice in the matter." Hiashi declared.

It was obvious to everyone there that Hanabi was struggling not to burst crying (her status as a Hyuuga to blame for this) by the way her face contorted and her limbs shook. However, when she suddenly pushed Saya away from her and ran away from the group, nobody blamed her.

Only one person followed her.

She wasn't even close to the edge of the clearing when she felt a big hand pulling her back and her back made contact with something warm and familiar. A pair of arms slid under her armpits and encircled her body, the hands resting on her abdomen. A round chin rested on her right shoulder and a set of whisker marks tickled her right cheek.

Nobody could tell what Naruto said to his student in those thirty seconds he spent embracing her from behind. After half a minute, Naruto let go of the tiny Hyuuga, pat her back rather brashly and exclaimed.

"Now go back there and cheer for me for now, okay?"

After several seconds of waiting, Hanabi raised her head to look at her best and only friend. There was a bitter smile on her otherwise cute face.

"Sure."

That was the moment Saya picked to express the words Mikoto and Atsuko had in mind.

"Hiashi, you seriously have to work on your timing."

* * *

Hanabi was secretly glad her cushion was on the far corner. She didn't think she could handle being close to her father at the moment. While she had regained her bearings enough to stick around to cheer for Naruto in his upcoming fights, her father's declaration still hurt like a knife through her chest. How could he do that to her!? Naruto was…… 

"……my best friend………"

Hanabi dropped her head when she felt Hinata's gaze on her. She didn't like her big sister's looks either, for some reason.

On the opposite corner, Sasuke performed his warm-up exercises. A fully stocked leg holster was wrapped around his right leg and a pouch on the back side of his waist was full of basic ninja tools. Naruto, not needing any warm-up anymore, examined his scrolls to review what equipment he had left.

While Gai performed some basic calisthenics, Sarutobi discussed the previous fight with Saya, the examiner.

"So, was I any good?"

Saya chuckled. "You tell me. What do you think?"

"Hmm……" He shot a glance at the visibly depressed Hanabi for a second. "I was……surprised by Hanabi-chan. Her motions, her patterns, she's just……I don't think I've ever seen a Hyuuga moving like that. Not even Himeko."

Saya nodded. "Hanabi-chan……she carries the air of a Hyuuga around her, but it seems Naruto's influence is even stronger."

"Mm-hmm." The Third nodded. He regretted not having his pipe with him. "She will become a great Taijutsu specialist in a few years."

"Her talent with _**Jyuuken**_ is superior to Hinata's, and her talent with _**Yokazeryuu **_surpasses Naruto's. Yes, she will be formidable in the future."

"More than her skill……" Gai joined the conversation, not interrupting his calisthenics. "……I was impressed by her trust."

Noticing the questioning looks on the elders' faces, Gai explained.

"The first strategy they used, with Hanabi-chan moving to close range while the Shadow Clones manipulated the kunai. If you were her, wouldn't you fear one of those kunai accidentally hurting you?"

When understanding became visible on their faces, Gai continued. "But she didn't hesitate. It seemed like she wasn't even paying attention to them. She engaged Hokage-sama in hand-to-hand combat with the absolute certainty Naruto would not harm her. That's the kind of trust you only see in teammates who have trained, fought and performed missions together for years. It's admirable."

"……yes……" Sarutobi looked at the seven-year-old girl one more time. "……yes, it is."

Saya could only chuckle. "There's a very simple name for that, you know."

"Hmm?" It was the two males' turn to show their curiosity. Saya simply shrugged.

"Love."

"If I may, I would like to say that was a very impressive display Naruto-sama and Hanabi-sama showed just now." Atsuko commented. "The fight, I mean. And I'm not a person that enjoys fights very much."

"Yes, yes……" Mikoto nodded in agreement. "They showed remarkable teamwork." Looking at the newly formed team on the far side, she continued. "I wonder if Naruto-kun and my son can work together like that."

"Nah, that's just impossible."

Everyone looked at Shiki as if he had grown a second head. "Well, it is."

Tenten looked at her Jounin sensei, a frown marring her expression. "I hope Gai-sensei doesn't overdo it." She quickly looked away. She couldn't stand the way his muscles bulged up under the spandex as he made his stretches. It was just too gross.

"Ya-hoo!!! What's the occasion!?" A loud, familiar female voice unexpectedly made her presence known as she entered the clearing. Since the clearing was outside the range of Shiki's barrier, the Houraisan couple hadn't been made aware of her approach.

Sasuke felt a shiver going up his spine. He remembered **that** voice.

"Whoa! Even the old bat Hokage is here!! Oh shit, I said 'old bat', didn't I?" The newcomer scratched the back of her head, the motion widening the length of skin made visibly through her mesh undershirt. "Ahaha, sorry, sorry……"

Hiashi raised an eyebrow. Mikoto and Atsuko shook their heads in exasperation. Tenten and Lee could only gape. Hanabi eyed the newcomer's chest, then Atsuko's, then Mikoto's, then Hinata's, then her own, before assuming a meditative look.

"Yo, Anko!"

"Oi, blindey!"

"Bitch."

Anko ruffled Naruto's hair playfully. "So, what's the occasion, really?" She eyed the other boy. "Oh, Naruto's ex-girlfriend."

"Go away you evil, evil wo-what the hell's **that** supposed to mean!?"

Naruto gulped. Anko smirked.

"Oh, are you denying the emotive break-up scene from a while ago? It's the talk of the village today!"

Sasuke twitched.

The nearby trees were shaken by an ominous wind.

"Naaaaaa-ruuuuu-toooooooooo!!!!!!!"

"Eheh…heh……we……kinda made a scene, didn't we?" He tried to make a quick save. "But don't listen to gossip, Anko; Sasuke here is **very **manly!"

"Sasuke, dear!!!" Mikoto chose this moment to "cheer" for her son. "Do your best and I'll make your favorite strawberry milkshake tonight!!!"

A long, uncomfortable silence, in which Naruto and Anko stared at Sasuke, ensued. The raven-haired Uchiha suddenly felt extremely uncomfortable.

"……don't worry, Sasuke." Naruto nodded sagely and put a "comforting" hand on Sasuke's left shoulder.

"……strawberry milkshake is a very manly drink."

"I hate my life."

Anko would have exploded in laughter if Saya hadn't interrupted. "Anko! Come over here and take a seat if you're sticking around!"

The snake kunoichi frowned and looked down at Saya's adoptive child. "What's with her attitude?"

Naruto gently pushed her away. "Just go. We'll make fun of Sasuke later."

"HEY!!!"

Naruto ignored Sasuke's outburst. "Wish me luck!"

Anko grinned. "Sure."

Before Naruto could escape, Anko's hands grabbed the back of his head and pushed him to her breasts, rubbing his face against the fishnet for good measure.

"There." Anko declared after letting go. "For good luck."

"………how?" Two equally horrified Naruto and Sasuke muttered. Anko just grunted.

"Idiots."

"She's evil." Sasuke concluded as the two watched her walk away. "Women are evil. All of them."

"Yeah……except for Hana-chan. She's awesome."

"She's a girl. She'll become evil in a few years."

"No, she won't." Naruto pouted. "I won't allow it. Besides, Ten-chan's super cool, too."

"She's a girl who likes sharp, pointy weapons and explosives. And she's not a fangirl. She's as cool as a female can get. Every rule has an exception. She is the exception." Sasuke admitted. _And she totally wants to jump your bones, you lucky blind bastard. Seriously, life's unfair._

"Hina-chan's pretty nice to me, too."

Sasuke suppressed the urge to wrap his hands around Naruto's neck and just **squeeze**. "I feel so much hatred towards you right now, Naruto."

"Jerk."

"Dobe."

"So, what's going on here?" Anko asked one more time as she sat next to Saya. The cheongsam-clad lady spent a few seconds explaining, after which Anko responded with nothing but laughter.

"Oh man, Naruto! You're getting your ass kicked!!!"

"OH SHUT UP!!!

Anko ignored the boy and turned to Saya. "So, got any booze?"

"Of course not."

"Aww, fuck! What kind of party is this!?"

"It's not a party!"

Sarutobi chuckled. "Please be silent, Anko. They're getting started."

"Um, okay, okay." Even Anko knew better than to push the Hokage's buttons.

"Who is that woman?" Tenten inquired; her face a mixture of awe and utter horror. Atsuko found it immensely amusing, even if she didn't show it.

"Mitarashi Anko-san. Special Jounin of Konoha, currently a member of ANBU, if I'm not mistaken, and a friend of the Houraisan Clan. Am I right, Houraisan-sama?"

"Maa……" Shiki scratched the crown of his head. "I……guess you could say that."

"Sasuke!!!" Mikoto called for her son one more time. "Do your best!!! Don't get too hurt!!!"

"Gee, mom, thanks for the support." Sasuke rolled his eyes as he mumbled. "So, dobe, what's the big plan? We're doing the flurry of kunai thing again?"

Naruto shot a look of shock at his partner. Well, there was no way Sasuke could see the shock (except maybe for the half-open mouth), but a look of shock it was.

"Do you have a death wish or **what**!?" Naruto's exclamation startled everyone in the clearing. "Like hell I'm doing the Storm of Blades with **you**!!!"

"WHAT!? What, you think I'm not good enough for you!?"

Naruto smirked smugly. "I thought we settled that discussion a while ago."

Anko exploded in laughter at the same time Sasuke did a Hinata and turned awfully red.

"Oh man, Naruto, that was brilliant!!!" The scantily-clad kunoichi roared. Noticing the odd looks she was getting from pretty much everyone else, she smirked. "Oh, long story. Remind me to tell you later, it was hilarious!!!"

"Sasuke, we're not doing the Storm of Blades. Besides, it's not like Gai-san doesn't expect it anyway. Using the same trick twice is kinda lame."

The Uchiha narrowed his eyes, but nodded. "Right. So, what are we doing, then?"

"I have no idea."

"WHAT!?"

"Jeez, man, do you have to be so loud all the time!?"

Sasuke blinked. _Loud. Houraisan Naruto just called me loud._

"Anyway, seriously, it's the first time we fight together. I have no idea what to do."

"Brats!!!" Saya exclaimed rather sternly. "We are already way past fifteen minutes. Get ready. Gai, you too."

Naruto shrugged. "Well, let's just do our best."

Sasuke snorted. "Just don't expect me to save your ass, dobe."

"Aah, don't worry; I'll be too busy saving yours."

"What did you say!?"

"Naruto!!! Keep up the good job!!!" Tenten cheered excitedly. "And show me more explosions!!!"

Sasuke could only shake his head. _Lucky blind bastard._

"YOSH!!! Naruto-san! Uchiha-san! Burst your power to the maximum against the blazing flames of Gai-sensei!!!"

"Uh……sure." Sasuke inched closer to whisper on Naruto's ear. "Seriously, who's that guy? And why do they wear……" He cringed. "…**that**?"

Naruto frowned. "Wear what?"

Sasuke blinked as understanding dawned upon him. Of course that's why Naruto didn't mind those two spandex-freaks.

"Naruto, for the first and probably last time ever, I envy your blindness."

"Naruto-kun, do your best." Hinata almost pleaded, her hands clasped together and resting on her lap. She was worried, and with reason. She didn't think the Uchiha could offer proper support in this fight.

"NARUTO-NII-CHAN!!!!"

All eyes centered on Hyuuga Hanabi. Who could have thought such a tiny girl could be so **loud**!?

Becoming the center of attention proved to be rather intimidating to the young Hyuuga, who suddenly found herself pondering what to say next. Whatever had been in her mind was long gone.

"Umm……" Her fingers began to fidget with the fabric of her pants. "…um……ano……"

She blinked. Suddenly, she knew exactly what to say.

"Don't! Don't……DON'T FORGET WHO YOU ARE!!!!!"

While everyone else frowned, Naruto sighed in awkward relief. He couldn't see Hanabi's supportive smile, but her words had done the trick.

"Ah. I know." He looked at Sasuke. "Let's go, teme."

"Hnn."

Saya put aside the strange exchange. "Alright……go!!!"

An instant later, Gai was inside Naruto's defense. _What the-_

His arms were just halfway up when a rock hard fist smashed his right cheek and propelled him to the left. Sasuke could only watch in abject horror, barely reacting when Gai literally slid past where Naruto had been an instant before to attack him. The Jounin's left fist caressed Sasuke's left cheek as the boy dodged to his right, but he couldn't react in time to Gai bending the offending arm and suddenly changing its direction to bury the elbow on Sasuke's face.

"Naruto-kun!!!"

Everyone winced at the surprisingly violent beginning of this fight. Mikoto couldn't hide the look of worry on her face.

Naruto was groaning. He had been slammed against a tree. His back hurt like hell.

_Ugh, he's fast! And damn, that felt like a chemistry experiment gone wrong._

"Ohoho, Naruto-kun!" A smiling Gai taunted. "I think Hokage-sama let you show your abilities plenty enough! This Tenacious Green Beast will not do the same! Can you defend against me, boy?"

"Tch." Naruto responded with a short sequence of hand seals. _**Fuuton. Sasayaku Kaze no Jutsu**_.

Gai frowned when Naruto lowered his head so as to hide his mouth. Not recognizing the hand seals and not seeing any apparent effect, he attacked. Naruto barely managed to move to the right and the fist left a frightening hole in the tree trunk behind him. Naruto attempted a palm thrust, but Gai quickly moved the arm buried in the tree to block it.

_So fast!_

Naruto jumped to try a high kick but Gai surprised him by moving a step forward and delivering a straight punch on his chest. Wincing ensued when Naruto was sent flying again, followed by more wincing when he hit the ground with a loud thud and some rolling. Gai turned to go after Sasuke, but he caught an exploding tag flying towards him out of a corner of his eye. Jumping away from the ensuing explosion, Gai dashed towards Naruto, who was standing up and holding a paper strip in each hand.

"_**Konoha Reppuu**_!!!" Naruto barely managed to take a step back before Gai moved low to the ground and swept him off his feet with a spinning kick. Naruto felt himself falling backwards, but there was nothing he could do. Any attempt at defending was crushed when Gai just as quickly got on two feet and delivered a crushing blow to his solar plexus.

"Ack!"

The ground shook and an explosion of dirt burst out of the point where Naruto's back hit the ground. His body bent by the force of the blow, Naruto felt his head being raised by inertia just like his legs, a trail of drool escaping his open mouth. He felt like his mediums were about to pop out of his eye sockets.

"Gyaaaaah!!!" Hinata and Hanabi released identical shrieks. Tenten actually covered her mouth before she released one of her own. Atsuko had closed her eyes. Being the only one present without any combat training, there was a limit to the amount of violence she could tolerate, especially when inflicted on a child, the child being a trained shinobi or not.

Hinata found an outlet for her terror by turning it into hatred; hatred aimed towards Sasuke, who after taking Gai's fist had only stood up and stared while Naruto took the beating.

"UCHIHA SASUKE!!!" The elder Hyuuga sister roared, aiming the entirety of her killing intent towards the black-haired boy. The aiming was so precise nobody else noticed it. But Sasuke didn't even flinch, because he wasn't really aware of his surroundings. The only thing in his mind was the message Naruto had sent him via _**Sasayaku Kaze**_.

"_I distract him. Hit him with __**Boukouka**__."_

Sasuke did the sequence of hand seals. _**Katon. Boukouka no Jutsu**_.

However, he didn't strike. He felt the two charges of fire chakra, one in the palm of each hand, lingering and waiting to be unleashed. _Not yet_.

Gai noticed Sasuke hadn't moved, so he leaned down to grab Naruto by the front of his cheongsam and lift him up with a single hand. His expression was unusually stern.

"So very disappointing."

_NOW!!!_ Sasuke's mind screamed. Making a motion similar to throwing a shuriken or kunai with his right hand, the charge sped up towards his target with incredible speed in the form of a line of fire trailing on the grass. Gai managed to notice it when it got close and jumped away, releasing Naruto in the process. When the line of fire reached the point where Gai had been standing a second before the travelling charge of fire chakra exploded. However, with Gai gone, Naruto was the only one who took the brunt of the explosion.

Hanabi, Atsuko, Mikoto, Saya and Tenten gasped when Naruto released a scream of pain as his body was blown away by the firey burst. Sasuke was following the motion of Gai's jump to strike at his projected landing spot with the remaining charge when an overwhelming wave of killing intent washed over him, soaking him with a blanket of impossible helplessness. The awareness of incoming pain was so unbearable that his jutsu dissipated harmlessly and his legs lost their strength, bending and sending him down to his knees.

_What……what is __**this!?**_

Saya noticed movement to her right. Hinata was standing up.

_What are you DOING TO NARUTO-KUN!!!!!? __**I'LL KILL YOU!!!!!!!!!!**_

"Hinata!!!" Saya bellowed adding her own spike of killing intent to draw the girl's attention. "Sit down **immediately**!!!!!"

When everyone else noticed Hinata, it was too late; she was back on her cushion, her face a mask of emotion.

"Yes, Saya-sensei. My apologies." She muttered; her cold gaze fixated on Sasuke's kneeling form.

After the explosion, the trail of lingering fire from Sasuke to the point of the explosion quickly dimmed and died.

Sasuke released a sigh of relief when the pressure faded away, the source of it remaining a mystery to him. Gai was obviously puzzled by his behavior, and Saya's short exchange with Hinata had distracted him, which gave Sasuke a split second to act. He used the time to hurry to where Naruto was slowly attempting to get on fours.

"You okay, Naruto."

The blond had to cough a few times before responding. "Yeah, mostly. I guess I have to thank you for the save, even if it hurt like hell. Can't you be a little more delicate? I mean, I know you're angry after the breakup and stuff, but……"

"You are asking for another one, aren't you?" Sasuke growled, but his expression quickly shifted into a half-smile. "Well, if you can insult me like that I'm sure you can get up and keep fighting."

"Well duh." Naruto replied as he stood by Sasuke's side.

"Seems like the brat's okay." Anko muttered. Saya nodded. Sarutobi had an odd smile on his face.

"But, that jutsu Sasuke-kun used……_**Boukouka**_, he called it?"

Saya nodded. "It's an original."

"Hmm……this batch of Genin is certainly promising."

Saya could tell Sarutobi had already dissected Sasuke's original jutsu to its fundamental components. A Ninjutsu Master like the Sandaime needs no _**Sharingan **_to copy a jutsu he's seen once.

"Ah, mou!!!" Tenten puffed up and crossed her arms under her developing bust. "Gai-sensei's going too far!!!"

"Gai-sensei would never make things easy for anyone." Lee declared in a sagely tone. This is the moment Gai chose to strike again.

Naruto used both arms to block the roundhouse kick aimed at his right side. Before Gai could follow up, Sasuke moved on to the offensive with a right hook aimed at Gai's lower torso. The Jounin jumped away from Naruto and Sasuke followed him to try the same attack again. Gai easily caught Sasuke's fist with his left hand, but the young Uchiha quickly spun counterclockwise to drive an elbow thrust which Gai had to dodge by taking a step back. Sasuke quickly swooped low with a spinning kick, which forced Gai to take yet another step back. The man moved back to the offensive, lowering his body in the time it took Sasuke to get back up. When Sasuke noticed the large fist in a collision course with his face, he stopped his standing-up motion and lifted his feet off the ground, making a horizontal twist in the air. At the same time Gai's fist passed a quarter of an inch above his head, Sasuke's right leg made a sweeping arc aimed at Gai's neck. The Jounin ducked and Sasuke slammed both hands on the ground.

"Hmm……not bad." Saya muttered.

"_Sasuke! Get away!!!"_

The sudden words that reached Sasuke's inner ear took his by surprise, but not enough for him not to react in time. He quickly got on his two feet and jumped away before the two flying exploding tags reached their destination. Gai, too, made a long back-flip just before the tags exploded.

"Let's keep it like this!!!" Naruto exclaimed as he ran past Sasuke. The cloud of smoke and dirt raised by the explosions moved aside at Naruto's command, like Moses parting the Dead Sea, in his mad dash towards Gai. Not being one to wait to be attacked, Gai too advanced towards the blond. Naruto leapt first, head first. Gai followed.

"_**Konoha Senpuu**_!!!"

Gai attacked with his left leg, making a powerful sweep in the air as the muscular limb gained momentum before slamming Naruto. However, the boy had other plans. Crossing his arms in front of him, Naruto caught the kick in its full force. Grunting by the exertion of challenging the mighty kick, Naruto grabbed the offending leg before the force of the blow sent him flying away. Using sheer arm and chest muscle power, Naruto lifted his body over Gai's leg, swinging his two legs together like a gymnast on a pommel horse. Gai had to lean his upper body backwards before Naruto's heels brutally smashed his face. Gai changed legs and raised his right foot to try a second kick. Naruto once again crossed his arms in front of his body, but Gai did not fail to notice that his left hand caressed his leg holster on its way to his chest. The force of Gai's kick sent Naruto downwards to the ground, where he fell on the back of his neck, shoulders and upper back, releasing a low-pitched grunt on impact. The leg holster which had been opened released its inventory of kunai and shuriken, but, instead of falling with Naruto like gravity should have made them do, they flew towards Gai courtesy of _**Tesabaki**_.

The spandex-clad Jounin grunted, too, when the first kunai ended up lodged in his right forearm. He others he dodged by getting the hell out of the point-blank barrage. He got out of one problem only to be assaulted by another. Noticing a barrage of small fireballs aimed in his general direction, Gai had to jump a second time to get away, pulling the kunai off his arm in the process. However, when he thought he had dodged Sasuke's _**Housenka no Jutsu**_, the flames died and the shuriken concealed within the fire wisps suddenly changed direction and flew towards him even faster than the flames which had formerly hidden them.

_Nice, Naruto!!! _Sasuke's mind cheered.

A glance at the fallen Naruto's stretched hand told Gai what had just happened. Once again, he leapt out of the incoming attack's way, noticing Sasuke was already on his way to receive him once he landed.

"Combining_** Housenka **_with _**Tesabaki**_ for a two-stage attack." Sarutobi commented. Saya could only smile.

"My boy is a natural."

"Check** this** out, Ten-chan!!!"

The girl didn't need to be told twice. She just **knew **she was about to be shown something awesome. After all, had Naruto ever disappointed her before?

She was too into watching Naruto that she didn't notice the glares she was getting from a certain Hyuuga……no, make that two certain Hyuugas.

While Sasuke did his darn best to keep Gai busy, Naruto, on one knee, unrolled his trademark scroll on the grass in front of him; quickly unsealing three identical scrolls tagged One, Two and Three. Using_** Tesabaki**_, he sent two of the scrolls flying until they made the vortices of an equilateral triangle centered on Gai. This was everything Shiki needed to figure out what his adoptive child and apprentice was about to do.

"Oh, so he got that jutsu right……?" Feeling more than one set of eyes on him, the seal expert only smiled. "Watch."

Naruto seized the scroll he had kept with him and performed the hand seals: Horse, Bird, Boar, Horse, Ram.

"_**Houraisan Hifuuinjutsu**_**."**

The words "Secret Seal Technique" were plenty enough to grab everyone's attention. When the three scrolls unfurled in midair, creating a triangle of parchment (the hand seals' doing, not _**Tesabaki**_), Sasuke knew it was time to get the hell away. He was smart enough to throw a few kunai around to stop Gai from doing the same.

Behind the Konoha forehead protector that covered them, Naruto's _**magatama**_ glowed with a flare of chakra.

"_**Sanhou Danmaku**_!!!"

The storm of weapons that followed cannot be described with words. Tenten did try, of course.

"Best. Thing. Ever."

The scrolls basically emptied themselves by unleashing a barrage of metal Gai had no choice but to dodge and parry in its entirety. He drew a pair of kunai (from nobody-wants-to-know-where) and deflected those he couldn't dodge with his great speed. The first thing he tried was leaping out of the deadly triangle, but the attempt resulted in the scrolls changing their aim. Gai was struck by a flurry of kunai from below, prompting a hasty _**Kawarimi**_ and a quick retreat to the center of the triangle.

When he actually began to take increasingly dangerous wounds, Gai realized it was time for unexpectedly serious measures.

Naruto, Sasuke and the audience only felt a sudden spike of chakra before a green bullet flew out of the triangular "prison," too fast for the weapons to stop it. Relying on survival instinct more than anything, Naruto tried a _**Kawarimi**_……without success.

_What the-_

The next thing he felt was an intense pain on his right cheek, the stinging sensation of his maxilla being cracked and the weightlessness of being lifted off the ground before being sent flying away.

"Naruto!!!" Sasuke exclaimed. The three scrolls remained floating in the air, but no longer firing projectile weapons. Gai stood where Naruto had just been. Naruto was a groaning mass some twenty-five yards away. Gai took a deep sigh, relaxing his muscles after the sudden strain of opening the closing the Initial Gate. He could have kept it open, but it would have been way too much overkill against two kids. He only needed to get away from that surprisingly dangerous jutsu.

"Using** that** to escape from my child's jutsu, Gai-kun?" Saya teased. "I don't know if I should be proud of him or disappointed at you."

Anko found the words amusing. Gai actually blushed. "So-sorry, Saya-sensei……" he mumbled to no one.

Sasuke had reached Naruto's side. "You okay, dobe?"

"Owww……" With wobbly legs, Naruto tried to get up, rubbing his jaw as he did so. He sighed when he felt flat on his butt. He still felt a little dizzy and his head hurt like hell, even if he no longer felt anything broken, weird as that was.

"Why didn't you get away the moment he got out, you idiot!?"

"I tried……" Naruto mumbled. "…I tried, but I couldn't. Stupid Body Circuit Offset Time."

"Huh?"

"Nothing."

When Naruto made the Ram seal again, the chakra strings that connected every single of the released weapons to the scroll they had emerged from "reeled" the projectiles back to where they belonged. They disappeared in clouds of smoke the moment they touched the parchment surface, being resealed until the next time they were needed. It was this nifty characteristic of the jutsu that made it a "Houraisan Secret Sealing Technique" instead of just another weapon throwing jutsu. Once all weapons had returned to their rightful places, the three scrolls fell to the ground, inert.

Gai turned to look at the examiner. "Saya-sama, I think this is enough-"

"NO!!!"

Everyone turned to look at Naruto, who had managed to get on two feet, even if Sasuke had to hold his back to keep him steady.

"NOT YET!!!"

Saya's lips curved upwards. "You heard the boy, Gai-kun."

"Naruto…"

"Sasuke."

Sasuke held back whatever he was about to say. "……what?"

"You……you don't want this fight to end like this, do you?"

Sasuke looked at where Naruto's eyes should have been. Naruto returned the look. Even if they weren't there, Sasuke somehow could feel the fierceness of Naruto's stare.

"……hell no."

The heir of Houraisan grinned. "Well said."

"Hoho……" Gai smiled pleasantly. "Do you boys still want to fight this Beautiful Green Beast of Konoha?"

Mikoto and Tenten found themselves cringing at those words. They could actually taste the capital letters. They tasted like puke.

Naruto and Sasuke responded with frighteningly similar grins. "YES!!!"

Silence ensued. The audience remained quiet, waiting for whatever would happen next. Gai let the boys made the next move.

"Sasuke, what we were doing before was working. We just have to do it faster. Can you move faster?"

"Can you?"

Naruto smirked. "Good answer."

"I'll go first."

"Suit yourself."

"Give me five."

So did Naruto. Sasuke stepped forward, making the seals for _**Boukouka**_. Gai readied his stance.

"This will be their last spurt, won't it?" Tenten said in a low voice. Lee, who been awfully silent, nodded.

"I wonder how they'll close this little battle, I wonder……" Mikoto mused.

Sasuke launched the right charge. Gai leapt to his right to avoid the ensuing explosion. Sasuke quickly grasped three kunai and threw them one by one. Gai easily dodged the incoming weapons while he quickly approached Sasuke. A step to the right got Sasuke away from the incoming left hook. The smaller Sasuke moved Gai's body. Naruto leapt away from the two, attentively watching the fray. Gai quickly spun to deliver a roundhouse kick, but Sasuke ducked and back-flipped, releasing the left charge in the process.

The explosion was almost at point-blank and Sasuke suffered the most from it. Mikoto gasped at the sight of her son being blown away by his own jutsu. Atsuko covered her mouth in abject horror.

Gai had evaded the explosion by going after Naruto. There was a short exchange of blows before Gai landed a hit square on Naruto's face. However, when Naruto was replaced by a log covered in paper strips, Gai almost shrieked. He jumped away, only to gasp when the log changed back into a Naruto with a broken nose and a devilish smirk.

Naruto had never used the Replacement Technique.

_Henge!!!_

Anko chuckled. "Typical Naruto."

Hanabi got on one knee. "Get him, Naruto-nii-chan!!!"

Naruto thanked the Gods he still remembered how a real log looks like (his blindness was the reason he royally sucked at _**Henge**_).

Still in the air after being fooled, Gai had no obvious escape for when Naruto threw a liquid fire vial at him, followed by a kunai aimed to break the bottle.

"Aaagh!!" The Jounin used his arms to cover his face from the flames. Reaching the ground with uneasy footing, Gai was too busy slapping down the flames on his clothes to notice Sasuke behind him doing handseals.

_**Katon. Goukakyuu no Jutsu.**_

To say that most of the audience was surprised was an understatement.

"He knows **that** jutsu……?" Hiashi's eyes were actually **a little **wider than usual. Mikoto felt like bragging.

"He's known it for years."

_A promising generation indeed. _Sarutobi repeated in his mind.

Gai may not have noticed the hand seals, but he definitely felt his back getting awfully warm all of a sudden. An instant later, his body was consumed by a conveniently Gai-sized fireball.

That's when Naruto noticed something his _**Senrigan **_was showing him. _Wait, what is……oh!_

He had an idea. However, he would have to find the right moment to act on it, for when the flames faded away, they left nothing but a burnt log in their wake.

"Sasuke!!! HIDE!!!"

The raven-haired Uchiha frowned, but complied. Drawing upon the scroll given to him by his adoptive father, Naruto unsealed three paper strips and let them fly. Five or so yards away from him, at the will of Naruto's Ram seal, three more paper tags were unsealed from each of the original three, thrown in random directions by inertia. Twelve paper tags, floating around the clearing like scattered autumn leaves.

"Cover your ears." Shiki muttered matter-of-factly.

"_**Fuuinjutsu:**__** Hikarakuyou**_."

The clearing was covered in a sea of flames, as the twelve exploding tags activated randomly and sequentially, all of them in less than 0.2 seconds.

Tenten was glad everyone had covered their ears. That way nobody could hear her squealing. She was also glad the tags were of the weak type.

Naruto grinned and made the cross-seal for _**Kage Bunshin**_. _That must have surprised him, at least. And……yes……as I suspected._

The next thing Naruto did was throwing away his remaining two liquid fire vials, letting the flames linger in the air for a few seconds. Those watching could help but wonder what he intended with that, Sasuke included.

When the ground under his feet began to bulge upwards, Naruto got the hell out of dodge. He thanked his instincts when Gai emerged from the soil, right fist raised for an uppercut. The Jounin shot a strange look at the boy, as if surprised that Naruto had noticed in time.

The young apprentice of seals made a narrow circular motion with his right arm.

"Remember this, Green Beast!!!"

Gai leapt away of Naruto's ferocious _**Furyuushou**_, which was noticeably stronger than the usual. Naruto's left arm unleashed a second cyclone right after the first, much to Gai's and almost everyone's surprise. A volley of shuriken and fireballs emerged from the shadows, and Gai found himself entirely on the defensive.

"_**Furyuushou**_, one after the other!!!" Hanabi exclaimed. "How-?"

"Heated air." Saya concluded. "The explosions, the liquid fire; heck, even Sasuke's jutsu; it was all for heating the air."

"There's not much wind here." Sarutobi continued. "By heating the air, you make air currents. Fantastic."

Indeed, Naruto was throwing Wind Dragon Palm attacks almost in succession. Combined with Sasuke's own fire attacks and thrown weapons, it made for an endless offensive from a distance.

"Teamwork is where two fighting spirits collide!!!" Naruto exclaimed before two of his kunai flew towards Gai, followed by a _**Furyuushou**_ in the direction he dodged to. Gai ran towards him. Naruto grabbed two exploding tags and threw them in opposite directions, attaching them to trees to his left and right. At Gai's approach, Naruto made a short leap back. Gai had seen the whole deal, so he wasn't as stupid as to run through the space between the tagged trees. Since it was dangerous to move around them, too, the Jounin opted for jumping. Naruto had to admit he was impressed by Gai's leaping ability, but that didn't stop him from smirking when three shuriken appeared from the foliage above him. Gai once again drew a pair of kunai out of who-knows-where and readied himself to block the weapons, until they exploded in clouds of smoke revealing smirking Narutos.

_Shadow Clones!!!_

"That trick again." Sarutobi muttered. Saya chuckled.

"Well, it works."

"It's when a warrior's spirit is **ABLAZE**!!!" Naruto and his clones shouted as one as the copies grabbed Gai however they could, holding on to dear life.

Sasuke leapt off his hiding place, leaping over the tree line as he made hand seals.

"_**Katon! Boukouka no Jutsu!!!**_" He yelled at the top of his lungs before unleashing both charges at the same time.

Gai landed on a crouch, taking shallow, quick breaths. He had replaced himself with one of the Shadow Clones and stepped on them to leap back to safe ground.

A woman gasped in horror. No one could tell who it was. Maybe it had been all of them. But Anko. Anko doesn't gasp in horror.

Not all the Shadow Clones "died" in the explosion. One Naruto hit the ground as a burning heap with a frightening thump. Immediately, Gai looked at the boundary of the forest, where he had last seen Naruto.

There was nobody there.

The last few seconds replayed in everyone's mind. The one on the ground had been a Shadow Clone! The **real **Naruto took Sasuke's _**Boukouka**_!

A ripping sound drew everyone's attention back.

"………wow." Tenten's comment was justified.

Naruto had discarded the burning cheongsam and his scrolls, and ripped off the white undershirt which had also caught fire, leaving only the dark silk pants, his _**hitai-ate**_ and his ninja equipment. He had made sure the valuable scrolls didn't catch fire, of course.

"Hinata-onee-chan, blood is coming out of your nose."

"Na-Naruto……kun……shirtless……Naruto-kun………sweaty, shirtless Naruto-kun…………"

Hanabi raised an eyebrow. What was the big deal? She had seen Naruto shirtless dozens of times when they trained.

"Oh my." Atsuko muttered. "I have seen it before, but it never ceases to surprise me."

"………wow." Tenten repeated.

Naruto opened his arms wide, willing the air to gather around him.

"The farthest combination!!! BADASS AND BASTARD!!!!!"

"I'm going to kill you in your sleep." Sasuke muttered angrily from the tree branch he was standing on.

The two exploding tags the Naruto-clone had attached to the trees flew past Naruto and suddenly turned ninety degrees in opposite directions. Gai could only watch when they made a slow arc until they joined right behind him, tracing a semicircle and leaving a trail of even more tags in their wake. Naruto had sealed escape routes behind Gai and on both sides.

"LET'S GET HIM, SASUKE!!!!!"

Sasuke grinned and leapt off the branch, making seals in the air. It would be his last and strongest jutsu. Naruto, wearing an identical grin, made a short jump backwards, making a full twist in the air with his body and landing with his legs spread and his right arm pulled back. He could feel a storm gathering in his hand. His right arm shook with the amounts of chakra he was shoving on it.

It felt fantastic.

"**WHO THE FUCK DO YOU THINK WE ARE!?**"

Mikoto slapped her forehead. "Language, children……"

_**Katon! Goukakyuu no Jutsu**_!!!!!

"_**Hakke**_!!!!!"

"Oh fuck we have to get away." Saya muttered. They were behind Gai and in the direct line of fire of the monstrosity Naruto was about to unleash.

"Eh? What do you-" Anko didn't get to finish the question. Saya was gone.

"_**KYOUFUUSHOU**_!!!!!"

* * *

_**Fantasia of Apotropaic Esoterica**_

**CHAPTER 3 – End**

* * *

**Author's Notes: **Phew, new chapter! Damn, writing fight scenes is tough as nails. It's been a while since I wrote lengthy fight scenes. Since…what, GOSPEL, Book 1? Ah well, and the battle royal of the three Goddesses in "True Stories." I guess now will come either the praise or the flames. Did I go too far? I'm starting to think I did. As for the fights themselves, they aren't really that great. They are just "exhibition matches," so I only went crazy flaunting the techniques and the moves. When the time comes for a **real** fight, believe me, I will write it to the utmost detail. 

I would also like your input in my treatment of Sasuke. While I'll be the first to admit I don't like canon Sasuke, I'm actually pretty fond of Fuujinroku Sasuke. If at some point Naruto's jokes and taunts at Sasuke's masculinity begin to feel like bashing, please let me know. Sasuke bashing is the last thing I want to do.

By the way, I'm terribly sorry. I just couldn't help it. I'm sure you have an idea what I'm talking about. Just to make things clear, I claim no ownership of anything GAINAX-related.

Hanabi is awfully cute. Period. And this chronicle is all hers. Since she'll pretty much fade in the background after this chronicle (with only occasional appearances), Fantasia is Hanabi's chance to shine.

Oh, and if you haven't noticed yet (and before anyone accuses me of anything); most of _**Yokazeryuu**_'s moves are actually Hanabi's moveset in the Narultimate Accel games.

Now, as for the music, if you haven't realized yet, I only keep the songs in the website until the next chapter is posted. It means that, as you read this, "Enigmatic Doll" and "Japanese Flower" are gone. The song for this chapter is an old classic from Touhou 5, "Mystic Square." It's the original version, made for the PC-98 system with FM Synthesis, so it obviously sounds like Atari music (well, it's actually the version in Akyu's Untouched Score vol.2). Nevertheless, I love it. I'd say it's one of the songs from "Mystic Square" that has made it to posterity despite being, well, Atari music (the others being "Plastic Mind," which I fully intend to use one of these days, and "The Grimoire of Alice." I'm pretty fond of "Infinite Being" myself……). I don't really know; I just like this song for my version of Naruto, for some reason. Then again, that's probably a lie. I know exactly why I picked this song, I just can't tell you. It will make sense, one day.

Like "Sleepless Night…," "**Dream Express**" is a fairly repetitive song, but I just love the tune. It doesn't feel like a Stage 1 theme at all, and that makes it, in my humble opinion, the best Stage 1 Touhou theme ever.

The second song is Sound./Ecriture's arrangement of the first. Enjoy!

So, **next chapter! **Naruto's sleepover at the Uchiha house continues! Much to Sasuke's chagrin, of course. Expect jokes, strawberry milkshake and nekomimi.

But, before that, the Combat Trial ends with the clash of Naruto and Hinata versus Saya. The Immortal Dragon stirs in its sleep………

* * *

**Technique List**

_**Adazakura Ranbushou**_ (徒桜乱舞掌)

**Name: **Ephemeral Cherry Blossom Chaotic Dancing Palm

**Type:** C-rank, Offensive, Short range (0-5 m)

**Users:** Houraisan Saya, Houraisan Naruto

**Future User: **Hyuuga Hanabi

A special technique of the Night Breeze Dragon style. In Naruto's words, "the BADASS spinning combo of win and ramen." A succession of strikes with the double intent of harming the opponent and gathering wind currents (hence the spinning), finishing with a strong hit to lift the target off the ground and strike with the gathered wind force on his way down.

Hanabi is still too small and too weak to properly perform this technique. However, she has devised her own variation, _**Rekkashou**_ (烈華掌, Wild Petal Palm).

* * *

_**Katon: Boukouka no Jutsu**_ (火遁: 暴行火の術) 

**Name: **Fire Release: Assault Fire Technique

**Type:** C-rank, Offensive, All ranges

**Users: **Uchiha Sasuke, Sandaime Hokage

Uchiha Sasuke's first original technique. His "little daughter," as some would come to call it.

After performing the hand seals, two "charges": condensed masses of fire-nature chakra, linger in the user's hands, waiting to be released. When released, the charges travel at very high speed (faster than a thrown shuriken) very close to the ground, leaving a trail of fire that doesn't linger for long. When they reach their intended destination, the charges explode. The magnitude of the explosion is greater than the average _**Hinotama**_'s but weaker than _**Goukakyuu**_'s.

* * *

_**Doton: Doryuukouken **__**no Jutsu **_(土遁: 土竜後見の術) 

**Name: **Earth Release: Earth Dragon Guardian Technique

**Type:** A-rank, Offensive, All ranges

**Users: **Sandaime Hokage, Tsuchikage, Houraisan Shiki, Orochimaru, Ryuuguu Hina

The user shapes a colossal dragon of solid rock which he can control at will. The chakra expenditure of this jutsu is tremendous, and it's very difficult to create more than one dragon with a single use of this jutsu. Multiple uses are required to spawn multiple dragons. Only Hina can break this rule and create several dragons at once.

* * *

_**Doton: Doryuu Taiga **_(土遁: 土流大河, D-rank, Offensive, Short range): Earth Release: Earth Flow River. The ground upon which the enemy stands transforms into a river of mud. 

_**Furyuushou**_ (風竜掌, C-rank, Offensive, Short range): Wind Dragon Palm. A basic _**Yokazeryuu **_technique. A very strong and focused gust of wind with a very short range, that deals little damage but is very useful to keep enemies away.

* * *

_**Fuuinjutsu: Hikarakuyou **_(封印術: 飛花落葉) 

**Name: **Seal Technique: Blossoms Fall and Leaves Scatter (The Evanescence of Worldly Things)

**Type:** C-rank, Offensive, All ranges

**Users: **Houraisan Shiki, Houraisan Naruto

The user simply releases a standard hypermatrix of exploding tags in groups of three. That is, an initial tag unseals three more, which themselves release three more each, and so on. The user has no control on the direction the tags move once unsealed (unless you use remote manipulation techniques like chakra strings or _**Tesabaki**_, of course), so the paper strips are move basically by inertia.

The two limitations to the number of exploding tags that can be stored in this kind of hypermatrix are the amount of available paper, ink and chakra, and the skill of the seal creator, of course. As of this chapter, Naruto can only create the hypermatrix shown in the battle versus Gai. Shiki claims that the theoretical maximum achievable according to known _**Fuuinjutsu**_ theory would be a hypermatrix with a grand total of 436905 exploding tags, with the following pattern:

1 initial tag unseals eight (1 8 9)

The 8 secondary tags unseal 4 more each (1 8 32 41).

The 32 tertiary tags unseal 4 each, and the process repeats four more times (1 8 32 128 512 2048 8192 32768 131072 174761).

Finally, the last batch of unsealed tags unseals an additional tag each (1 8 32 128 512 2048 8192 32768 131072 262144 436905).

Of course, nobody has enough chakra and would be insane enough to try something like this………right?

* * *

_**Fuuinjutsu: Hourai no Hana **_(封印術: 蓬莱の花) 

**Name: **Seal Technique: Flower of Hourai

**Type: **C-rank, Offensive, All ranges

**Users: **Houraisan Shiki, Houraisan Naruto

Flower of Hourai is a hypermatrix of explosive tags, arranged so as to follow a very precise geometry. An initial tag unseals four more in the four cardinal directions. From then on, the following unsealing stages increase the total number of tags per "layer" by four, maintaining a perfect rhombus shape:

The array can grow until a maximum of thirty-two exploding tags in the outermost layer. Adding further layers demands more advanced sealing methods, which are the purview of the expanded version of this jutsu:_** Hourai no Hanazono **_(蓬莱の花園, Flower Garden of Hourai), a city-scale version of _**Hourai no Hana**_.

* * *

_**Fuuton: Fuujin Senrigan no Jutsu **_(風遁: 風神千里眼の術, A-rank, Supplementary, All ranges): Wind Release: Wind God Manipulation Technique. Naruto's wind-based perception jutsu, which combines perception of convection heat and mechanical waves to gain three-dimensional, all-around awareness of his surroundings. 

_**Fuuton: Fuujin Tesabaki no Jutsu **_(風遁: 風神手捌きの術, C-rank, Supplementary, Short-to-mid range): Wind Release: Wind God Manipulation Technique. The user can control and manipulate objects from a distance by means of wind nature manipulation. It also grants instinctive awareness of the flow of air the user creates when he uses this technique.

_**Fuuton: Sasayaku Kaze no Jutsu **_(囁く風の術, C-rank, Supplementary, All ranges): Wind Release: Whispering Wind Technique. The user sends a message to a distant location. The transmitted message will be spoken in a very low tone so that the receiver and only the receiver can hear it. It can also be used to hear sounds from a very long distance or to detect very weak sounds.

_**Katon: Goukakyuu no Jutsu **_(火遁: 豪火球の術, C-rank, Offensive, Short range): Great Fireball Technique. The user exhales and creates a huge ball of flame in front of him.

* * *

_**Hakke Kyoufuushou **_(八卦狂風掌) 

**Name: **Eight Trigrams Raging Wind Palm

**Type: **C-rank, Offensive, Short-to-mid range (0-10 m)

**Users:** Houraisan Saya, Houraisan Naruto, most practitioners of_** Yokazeryuu**_

Saya described it perfectly in the previous chapter: "a BIGASS _**Furyuushou**_ that actually deals damage." That said, _**Kyoufuushou**_ is one of the few _**Yokazeryuu **_techniques that actually deals decent damage. However, it has the weakness of requiring a considerable setup time; the time it takes to gather the necessary wind and strengthening to the optimum level. Of course, smart people can find ways around this problem (like Naruto in this chapter).

* * *

_**Houraisan Hifuuinjutsu: Sanhou Danmaku **_(蓬莱山封印術: 三方弾幕) 

**Name: **Houraisan Secret Seal Technique: Three Directions Barrage

**Type:** Hiden (B-rank), Offensive, Short-to-mid range (0-10 m)

**Users:** Houraisan Shiki, Houraisan Naruto

A secret family technique of the Houraisan Clan. Three specially crafted scrolls are set up in a triangular arrangement around the target(s). The scrolls unfurl themselves, creating a triangle that surrounds the intended victim(s). Then, the scrolls simply empty their contents in a barrage of ninja weaponry. The scrolls adjust their aim to the target(s) movements and actively prevent the target(s) from leaving the scroll barrier. Finally, the seals in the scroll are capable of "tagging" the items sealed within so that, with an additional hand seal, the thrown weapons are returned back to their places in the scrolls.

* * *

_**Henge no Jutsu **_(変化の術, E-rank, Supplemntary): Transformation Technique. Allows the user to assume the appearance of another person, animal or object. 

_**Katon: Housenka no Jutsu **_(火遁: 鳳仙火の術, C-rank, Offensive, Short range): Mythical Firebird Immortal Fire Technique. The user sends multiple balls of fire at the target(s). It is also possible to hide shuriken within the fireballs for a surprise attack.

_**Kage Bunshin no Jutsu **_(影分身の術, B-rank, Supplementary): Shadow Clone Technique. Creates identical, fully-functional copies of the user (clothes and equipment included) by dividing his chakra equally among them.

_**Kawarimi no Jutsu **_(変わり身の術, E-rank, Supplementary): Body Replacement Technique. Lets the user quickly switch places with another object, generally a section of a log……Kami knows why.

* * *

_**Kazaguruma**_ (風車) 

**Name: **Windmill

**Type:** B-rank, Offensive/Defensive, Short range (0-5 m)

**Users:** Hyuuga Hanabi, Houraisan Naruto

Hanabi spins around with open arms, releasing wind chakra through her whole body. The rotation shapes the chakra into a sphere and the speed lifts her light body so that she actually spins in the air. This is Hanabi's wind-based variation of _**Hakkeshou Kaiten**_. The high jutsu rank comes from the control necessary to perform this technique without losing balance (as of this chapter, Hanabi hasn't fully mastered this technique yet). Unlike _**Kaiten**_,_** Kazaguruma **_is NOT a secret clan technique.

Hanabi will eventually evolve this technique into _**Hakkeshou Fuuryuu Kaiten **_(八卦掌風竜回天, Eight Trigrams Palm Wind Dragon Heavenly Spin).

* * *

_**Konoha Reppuu **_(木ノ葉烈風, D-rank, Offensive, Close range): Leaf Violent Wind. A standard _**Gouken **_technique. A low spinning kick sweeps the opponent off his feet. 

_**Konoha Senpuu **_(木ノ葉旋風, D-rank, Offensive, Close range): Leaf Whirlwind. A standard_** Gouken **_technique. A flying roundhouse kick of notable speed and power, which can hit multiple opponents as the Taijutsu artist spins around.

_**Shuriken Kage Bunshin no Jutsu **_(手裏剣影分身の術, A-rank, Offensive, Short-to-mid range): Shuriken Shadow Clone Technique. This jutsu applies the Shadow Clone Technique to create multiple copies of one or several thrown shuriken.

* * *

_**Tenken Ranbu **_(天拳乱舞) 

**Name: **Heavenly Punch Boisterous Dance

**Type:** C-rank, Offensive, Short range (0-5 m)

**Users:** Houraisan Saya, Houraisan Naruto, Hyuuga Hanabi, all _**Yokazeryuu **_practitioners

Aspecial move of the Night Breeze Dragon style. A sequence of kicks and fists (but mostly fists) in midair, ending with strong punch aiming down, with the intention of knocking the opponent down.

* * *

_**Tenshuu Ranbu **_(天蹴乱舞) 

**Name: **Heavenly Kick Boisterous Dance

**Type:** C-rank, Offensive, Short range (0-5 m)

**Users:** Houraisan Saya, Houraisan Naruto, Hyuuga Hanabi, all _**Yokazeryuu**_ practitioners

A special move of the Night Breeze Dragon style. A sequence of kicks and fists (but mostly kicks) in midair, ending with a powerful wind-laced roundhouse kick that can deal some serious damage.

* * *

_**Tentotsu Renshou**_ (天突連掌) 

**Name: **Heaven Thrust Palms

**Type:** C-rank, Offensive, Short range (0-5 m)

**Users:** Houraisan Saya, Houraisan Naruto, Hyuuga Hanabi, all _**Yokazeryuu**_ practitioners

A special move of the Night Breeze Dragon style. A wind-chakra-charged double palm thrust aimed upwards with the intention of knocking the target off balance and launch his body to the air.


	16. Inevitability of Change, Part 2

**Disclaimer: **If I owned Naruto, you would be after my head right now. But I don't. Yay!

**Warning: **This chapter contains minor hints of Naruto/Hinata, major hints of Naruto/Tenten and DISGUSTINGLY IMMENSE hints of Naruto/Hanabi. Read at your own risk.

* * *

_**Naruto Fuujinroku**_

_**鳴戸風神録**_

**First Chronicle:**_** Fantasia of Apotropaic Esoterica**_

**Chapter Four**

_**Inevitability of Change – Dance of Fire**_

* * *

"Naruto."

"Hmm?" Naruto didn't move. "What is it, Anko-chan?"

"Naruto, I mean, that was pretty fucking awesome and everything…"

"It was, wasn't it?"

"Yes. And, damn, well, I can't believe I'm saying this, but I'm impressed. You're actually pretty darn good."

"Hehehe, thanks." Naruto's voice reflected how tired he was.

"Yeah. So, really, awesome as it was, was it really necessary to burn the whole damn place?"

"Hmm…well, what other way to make sure Gai-san didn't get away but burning the whole place? I will admit that I didn't expect it to get **that **big-oh, oh, Hina-chan, that feels **gooooood**!"

Hinata, whose lap Naruto was using as a cushion, had a disturbingly placid smile on her face as she massaged Naruto's shoulders and chest. "Is that so? I'm glad."

"You know, Shiki had to put down all the flames with _**Suiton **_jutsu. He used quite a bit of chakra. He's a bit grumpy right now."

"Hmm…" Naruto hummed. "…didn't the old man help?"

"The old man is unconscious."

This actually got to Naruto, who tried to get up but an astonishingly strong pair of Hyuuga hands pushed him back down.

"No, no, Naruto-kun. I'm not done yet."

Naruto let Hinata do as she pleased. He was getting a massage; he wasn't complaining. "The flames got old man Hokage!?"

"Umm…no." Anko crossed her arms. "The flames got my clothes!" She put her hands on her hips, displaying her total nudity for everyone (but Naruto) to see.

"...oh. Oooohhhh…!" Naruto needed a pair of seconds to figure out what Anko was trying to say.

Some yards away, a kneeling Hanabi was poking the unconscious form of the Sandaime Hokage with a stick, making sure to stay away from the pool of blood from his nose.

"Ah…what about the others?"

"Fortunately for him, your father only has eyes for Saya. Seriously, the man didn't even blink. I'm almost insulted."

Shiki snorted at those words. It was not that he was impervious to Anko's attributes. Far from it, he would say. He was just a man of priorities. He was too busy making sure the conflagration did not grow to bother admiring naked Anko.

"Hiashi…well, let's say he's glad Atsuko brought a handkerchief. He's still young, though, so he didn't pass out. Gai and Mini-Gai…no. I won't say anything. I'll just forget they exist."

Hinata chuckled at this, and Naruto found himself chuckling too.

Anko continued. "Sasuke's unconscious over there."

"You got Sasuke?"

Anko had the decency to look sheepish. "Umm…not really."

"Uchiha-kun didn't seem very interested in Mitarashi-san's naked body." Hinata promptly explained. "I would say he even looked disgusted. Mitarashi-san found his reaction insulting and knocked him out by smothering him with her crotch."

"Oh…" What else was Naruto supposed to say to **that**? "That's mean, Anko-chan."

The snake kunoichi shrugged. "Oh well. Saya's getting me some clothes, so I guess you'll get a few extra minutes to rest before the next fight."

"Cool." Naruto honestly smiled. "All's well that ends well."

"Naruto."

"Ah, Ten-chan. You okay?"

Tenten ignored Hinata's impromptu glare and offered her warmest smile to the boy on the ground. "Um, no problem." She sat down to his right, still avoiding Hinata's eyes.

"Did you like my second fight, Ten-chan?" Naruto smiled rather weakly. "It was pretty cool."

"Yeah." Tenten chuckled, albeit weakly. "It was fantastic."

Naruto was perceptive enough to notice Tenten did not seem to possess the enthusiasm that had been characteristic of that entire day.

"Naruto…" She called his name before he could inquire about it. "…do you really intend to go through the third fight?"

Tenten willed her body not to shiver after receiving a spike of violent intent. She did not need three guesses to figure out where it came from.

"Well duh." Naruto replied. "It's not like I have a choice, anyway."

"Bu-but…don't you think you've already fought enough?" Tenten made a gesture with her arms, attempting to show the extension of Naruto's efforts.

The collision of Sasuke's _**Goukakyuu no Jutsu **_and Naruto's _**Hakke Kyoufuushou**_ did not unleash an explosion, or even a firestorm. The merging had been gentle and smooth. The giant ball lost its shape and became a blanket of flames that flowed through the whole battlefield like roaring ocean waves.

It was beautiful; dangerous and destructive like PMS-Tsunade, but beautiful nonetheless.

"I'm sure Saya-sama can be reasonable, I mean, you are tired, but you've already done so great!"

"Ah, but I'm not really tired, you know?" Naruto smiled gently. "I'm here just because Hina-chan's really comfy!"

Hinata blushed and giggled. "Tha-thank you, Naruto-kun."

"Naruto!" Tenten pouted. "Hanabi-chan was almost out of chakra when her fight finished! Sasuke-san over there WAS out of chakra! You must be at your limit now!"

She was surprised to be in the receiving end of a round of mirthful laughter, not only from Naruto and Hinata, but from Hanabi, Anko, Atsuko and Shiki. The Third would have probably joined in, if he were conscious.

"You don't know a thing about this brat, don't you, Bun-Bun-chan?" Anko was still chuckling as she spoke.

"Wha-wait, **Bun-Bun-chan**?"

"Naruto-nii-chan has a looooooooooot of chakra!" Hanabi ceased her Hokage-poking. "Sometimes, when we train real hard, I can't go on anymore, but Naruto-nii-chan just keeps going and going and going and going and going…"

Anko drowned the voice of the little Hyuuga girl who was still repeating the last two words over and over. "Naruto's chibi is right. The brat's a chakra monster. He can handle one more fight."

"…and going and going and going and going; it's crazy!"

Tenten still did not look quite convinced. "But, Naruto…"

"I already teamed up with Hana-chan and Sasuke; I wanna team up with Hina-chan, too!"

Hinata's face blossomed as she looked down at the smiling boy. "Naruto-kun…I…want to fight, too…together with you."

"There you have it." Naruto turned back to Tenten. "We're going to fight."

Hinata, too, looked at Tenten, her face quickly changing into a cold, hard gaze. _You are not denying me my happiness._

The older girl could do nothing but sigh in defeat. "Okay…just…" She made a frustrated gesture with her hands. "Oh I can't take this!" She turned to Anko. "Can't you cover yourself!?"

"No can do. What's the big deal? Nobody who cares is watching."

Indeed, two males were unconscious, Hiashi had his back to Anko and Shiki…well, Shiki was trying to convince himself he wasn't looking.

Lee and Gai were nowhere in sight.

"Naruto's right here!"

"Naruto can't see shit."

"Yup, I can't."

"Agh!" Tenten repeated her frustrated gesture. "Whatever!" She turned back to Naruto. "So, any ideas for this fight?"

"Nope." Naruto admitted, before looking up. "Hina-chan, what about you? You know Saya-kaa-chan better than me."

"She's your mother, Naruto." Tenten stated matter-of-factly.

"Yeah, but I don't fight her every day like Hina-chan."

Hinata ignored Tenten's look. Naruto-kun had asked for her opinion. Naruto-kun had shown proper reasoning and valued her opinion.

The Hyuuga heiress felt on Cloud Nine. And this…girl had tried to convince her Naruto-kun from renouncing to the fight?

Maybe she should paralyze her insolent tongue. Let's see her feeding bullshit to her Naruto-kun after **that**.

"Saya-sensei…is a very dangerous opponent, Naruto-kun." Hinata began. She resisted the urge to roll her eyes at Tenten's reaction to her way of addressing Naruto's adoptive mother. "She is as fast as Maito Gai-san, if not faster. She's probably faster than any ranged attack we can throw at her. The alternative would be close combat, but we all know that's where she excels at."

"Ugh…so it will be like Gai, but worse." Naruto muttered. Hinata nodded.

"Much worse. Maito-san used nothing but Taijutsu in your fight, but I'd assume he can use some Ninjutsu, too. Saya-sensei has told me several times that she doesn't know many Ninjutsu techniques and I believe her. In all the times we've fought, she's never used anything but _**Kawarimi**_ and the occasional Earth clone."

"However, we have to keep in mind that she is creator and master of both your _**Yokazeryuu **_and my _**Karyuu**_, as well as who knows how many other styles."

"Whatever we do, she can do better." Naruto stated.

"Indeed. She is especially challenging not because she's a Taijutsu Master, but because she's our teacher."

"Haaa, that's a problem, yes…" Naruto did not look very optimistic. "…there's another problem."

Hinata frowned. What was the other problem? "What…has something eluded my analysis, Naruto-kun?"

"Ah? Umm, no, no, that was pretty good, Hina-chan."

Hinata sighed in honest relief, but she did not relax yet. Whatever worried Naruto worried her too.

"It's just, well; I'm almost out of exploding tags."

Hinata nodded. That could pose a problem. Naruto's current combat style heavily relied in the use of tools, and explosive tags were his most important damage dealers, even more so than _**Yokazeryuu**_. "Hmm…do you have any other techniques that do not rely on exploding tags, Naruto-kun?"

Naruto shook his head. "_**Sanhou Danmaku**_'s the best thing I have right now, and she's already seen it…no, scratch that. I…might have something else…but I don't think it would work. She's probably already seen it."

"Then we have nothing she doesn't already know…so we can only use what we know, but in different ways. I believe you are quite talented in that area, Naruto-kun."

"Ehehe, thank you."

"You are most welcome."

"I'm BACK!" Saya's loud yell fulfilled its job of announcing her return.

* * *

With Anko fully clothed, everyone regrouped themselves, this time forming two groups: minors and adults.

Hanabi and Sasuke stayed in the "partner's corner," now accompanied by Tenten and Rock Lee (who suddenly and inexplicably appeared with his sensei out of nowhere the moment Anko put on some clothes). The other two original groups of cushions were moved to the corner adjacent to the "partners' corner." The now-anemic Hokage sat in the center of the front row, with Hiashi to his left and Mikoto to his right. Atsuki, as was expected of her, sat behind Hiashi. Gai sat behind the Hokage and Anko to his right.

Gai seemed a bit uncomfortable.

Saya and Shiki were in the middle of the clearing with the last team: Naruto and Hinata.

"Oi, Saya!" Anko loudly complained from her seat, drawing annoyed looks from one Hyuuga Hiashi. "Couldn't you get me something else?"

"What, you expected me to go to **your** place to get you new clothes?" Saya barked from the distance.

"Well…yeah!"

"Well I didn't! That's one of my summer _**yukata**_, so treat it nicely!"

"But it's small! And tight! As in, you know…the chest area…?"

Gai, Hiashi and Sarutobi gulped.

"Rot in hell." Saya growled in a low, barely perceptible tone before turning to her husband. "Shiki, the scroll…wait. We're missing a runt here."

She looked at the corner with the young ones. "Oi, Uchiha! Come over here."

Only after a puzzled Sasuke joined the group at the center of the clearing did Shiki get on his knees to spread the aforementioned scroll on the ground. A single hand seal unveiled a large, narrow, rather ordinary wooden box.

"Oh!" Naruto gasped excitedly.

The top of the box had a long paper tag with the inscription "**Tools of Awesome**" in Naruto's haphazard calligraphy.

"Oh Kami it's the **Awesome **box!" Naruto exclaimed in glee, looking up at his adoptive parents. "Are you…?" He asked in a hopeful tone.

"Yes, Naruto, we're opening the box."

"**AWESOME**!" Naruto shouted triumphantly. "We're finally opening the **AWESOME Box**!" He continued, wrapping Hinata to his left in a bear hug. The girl only squeaked in response, but she did not resist him in the slightest, fully enjoying his strong embrace, the rush of flood travelling to her face and the lack of oxygen in her lungs.

"Wa-wait a second." Sasuke, ever the voice of reason, spoke. "You don't know what's in the box?"

"Nope." Naruto shook his head, still embracing a Hinata in the middle of undergoing a phase transition to a puddle of goo.

"THEN WHY DO YOU CALL IT THE '**AWESOME BOX**?'"

Naruto rolled his mediums behind his Konoha forehead protector that in his case was not such. "Well duh. There's something for me inside that box. It's obvious it has to be awesome."

Sasuke gaped, opening and closing his mouth a few times before giving up. "I give up." He said. "There's no way there's a brain in that head of yours. Nope. No way in hell. I won't accept it."

Saya cleared her throat, summoning their attention before Naruto's and Sasuke's exchange degenerated any further.

"As a matter of fact, there's something in there for each of you."

"Huh?" Sasuke was honestly confused. "Even me?"

"Yes, even you."

"Uhh…why?"

Saya shrugged. "Isn't this the kind of things parents do? Doing something nice for their children's friends?"

Sasuke blinked a few times while he digested these words. Making a conclusion in his mind, he looked behind the Houraisan couple at the group of adults in the far corner.

"Mother!"

"Yes, Sasuke dear?" Mikoto replied with that perennial smile of hers.

"Can I trade mothers with Naruto?"

Everyone gaped at Sasuke.

"Anything you want, dear!"

Everyone gaped at Mikoto; Sasuke included.

"Hell no!" Naruto intervened. "I like my kaa-chan!"

Saya beamed. "He likes his kaa-chan." She whispered to her husband.

"Besides, how am I supposed to marry her if Mikoto-nee-chan becomes my mom?"

Everyone gaped at Naruto. Hinata became rigid as stone in his arms. Damn it, where was that little black book of hers when she needed it?

"Ahh…that is a very good point."

Everyone gaped at Mikoto again.

"No way! I called dibs on Naruto-nii-chan first!"

Everyone gaped at Hanabi.

"Hina-chan, I'm scared. Save me."

"I will always protect you, Naruto-kun." Hinata had quickly dismissed her sun's previous words as another of his strange jokes. How could it be anything else?

"Ah, Hina-chan, you are really the only one I can trust!" The blonde-haired boy declared before embracing her even more tightly and burying his face in her right shoulder.

Hinata squirmed in delicious pleasure.

"Ara…certainly, she did." Atsuko declared before looking to her right. Anko and Gai did the same, followed soon after by everyone else.

"…why the hell are you all looking at me?" Tenten shouted, ignoring the heat in her face. Everyone shrugged.

"I do not know." Atsuko answered in a tone that was either innocent or playful. "It just felt like the right thing to do."

Everyone nodded in unison. Mikoto was the first to look away, at her son.

"It seems I'm still your mother, then, Sasuke, my child."

"You know I wasn't serious, right, Mother?"

Mikoto tilted her head to the left as her eternal smile widened almost imperceptibly. "Of course, son."

Sasuke blinked before looking up at the Houraisan couple. "Are you sure Itachi didn't do anything to her? As in…like…her head or something?"

Saya had to restrain herself not to laugh. Shiki only smiled a tiny bit. "Quite sure, boy. Now, where were we?"

"Ah, right! The **Awesome** Box!" Naruto exclaimed excitedly (much to Sasuke's chagrin), finally letting go of Hinata (much to Hinata's chagrin).

Saya kneeled down next to Shiki, wearing a teasing grin on her face. "So…who wants to go first?"

"Me! **Me! ME!**"

"Yes, please just give him whatever you're going to give him." Sasuke muttered. "Maybe that will shut him up…no, wait. He won't stop shouting how 'awesome' his 'awesome-whatever' is. I'll go first."

"HEY!"

"He does have a point…" Hinata muttered – low enough that nobody heard her, especially not Naruto.

"Ah, you **are** learning, Uchiha Sasuke." Shiki acknowledged with an amused smile. "Well then…"

He opened the box barely enough to reach inside with his hand ("Awww…" Naruto pouted) and take out a long bundle wrapped in white cloth.

"Ah!" Tenten gasped. "That is…then, that box…"

She slowly got up to move closer. Not one to be left behind, Hanabi went after the weapons girl.

Shiki had unveiled the gift for Sasuke. The wooden sheath was black as obsidian, revealing a beautiful luster when under the sunlight. It had no motifs or adornments of any sort. Both the hilt and the sheath were of a perfect black.

"It's a-" Naruto attempted to say, but…

"-_**shikomizue**_." Sasuke finished. He shot a mildly annoyed look at Naruto. "I **do** know my weapons lingo."

"Ah, so it **was** that one." They finally noticed Tenten's approach at her words. Noticing the puzzled looks from the younger ones, she explained herself. "I made that sheath. And the hilt."

"You…?" Sasuke uttered, a bit lost.

"Ten-chan's parents make weapons. They're pretty cool!"

"You haven't visited the store in ages, Naruto."

"Ah…ahahahaha…" Naruto scratched the back of his head nervously. He could tell the subtle inflection in Tenten's voice. "…ah! Don't worry! Now that I'm a ninja I'll have to stop by your shop all the time, ne? No way in hell I'm going to any other place!"

"You better." Tenten replied with a tone that perfectly mixed threatening with playful.

"…shop?" Sasuke muttered. A smiling Tenten looked at him and nodded.

"The _**Nin-Ten**_ store two blocks from the open market. Have heard of it?"

Sasuke nodded. He indeed had visited that store a few times. In his evaluation of possible supply stores for his future career as a shinobi, he had graded the _**Nin-Ten**_ store as one of the best –if not the best– of Konoha's weapon shops. From his few visits, however, he scarcely remembered the face of the lady at the counter…but, if his memory was correct, he could see the resemblance with the girl in front of him.

"You make weapons." Sasuke stated.

Tenten chuckled a bit nervously. "Aha, nah, just kunai and shuriken. Dad and Mom do all the big things."

"You make weapons." Sasuke repeated.

Tenten blinked. "Well, if you want to put it like that…"

Sasuke dropped his head. _She makes weapons._

Looking at Naruto, he spoke again. "My hatred for you has just reached inconceivable levels, Naruto."

"What? Why?"

Sasuke twitched. "There it is. You did it again."

"Damn it, Sasuke!"

Tenten frowned. _What was that about?_

On the other hand, Hinata's mind was working…

* * *

"…and that's basically what you can do with it. I thought of what could be more appropriate for you, taking into account that you are an Uchiha. Maybe you can blend it somehow with your combat style." Shiki finalized. Sasuke nodded and bowed respectfully.

"You have my gratitude, Houraisan-sama."

"Oh, so **now** he's respectful." Saya muttered, only to get the evil eye from both Shiki and Sasuke. The young Uchiha looked down at the beautiful and deadly blade. The seals Shiki had implanted on the flat side of the blade were completely invisible. To the naked eye, it was just another _**shikomizue**_, beyond its exceptional quality, of course.

"I still say Naruto should have gotten the _**shikomizue**_." Saya continued, unfazed by the two males' looks.

"Wha…why?" A honestly curious Sasuke inquired. Saya shot him a 'duh!' look.

"Well, it's obvious!"

"…no it isn't." Sasuke retorted. Saya rolled her eyes.

"He's blind! It's a **fact** that blind people **must **have a _**shikomizue**_!"

It was Shiki's turn to roll his eyes. "You've been watching those 'Blind Swordsman' movies again, haven't you?"

"We don't have a TV."

"Ah…right."

Sasuke promptly ignored the strange couple and focused back on his new weapon.

"But…I don't know how to use it."

Shiki shrugged. "Ask your mother."

"Mo-mother?" Sasuke looked back up at the Lord Houraisan.

"You don't know?"

Turning to look at Mikoto, Shiki inquired. "Mikoto-san, why doesn't your son know of your talent at Kenjutsu?"

Noticing the surprised look on the children's faces, Mikoto tilted her head cutely. "He never asked."

Sasuke had to admit his mother had a point. He knew she had been a ninja once. However, he had never seen her as anything other than, well, "Mom."

Shiki turned back to face Sasuke. "Check the old Bingo Books when you have the chance. I'm sure at least Iwa must have a few words about the 'beautiful and deadly Black Panthress of Konoha' and her multiple-blade style."

Mikoto demurely covered her lips with her right hand as she giggled like the perfect and elegant lady she was.

"Oh my, such flattering words, Houraisan-sama. I'm honored."

Saya unconsciously reached for Shiki's right arm and held it close to her.

"Saya, dear, I'm going to need both arms to give Hinata her gift."

"Ah…" Saya reluctantly let go. "…sorry."

"Ne, ne, Sasuke."

"What." The young Uchiha was already mentally readying himself for whatever came from Naruto's…unique mindset.

"What name are you gonna give it?"

"…the blade?"

"What else, your hairdo?"

Hanabi and Tenten chuckled. Hinata just shot an odd glance at Sasuke's hair. Sasuke glowered at the sudden and most unwanted attention.

"Why do I have to give it a name?"

"Well duh, special weapons of awesome must have names! And activation words!" Naruto nodded sagely and crossed his arms. "Never forget the activation words. Right, Hana-chan?"

"Eh?" Hanabi had absolutely no answer to that. So she went with what Naruto expected. "Um…sure?"

Naruto nodded. Hanabi beamed.

"…activation words?" It was Shiki's turn to be puzzled.

"For when he triggers the seals." Naruto explained. Shiki frowned.

"He only needs chakra for that."

"But that's not **badass**!"

"Oooh…" Hanabi mumbled and nodded, as if everything made sense with those words.

"…right." Shiki leaned closer to his wife. "…I thought he couldn't read manga."

"He read plenty of manga before he became blind, it seems."

"So, Sasuke! What's your awesome weapon's name?"

Sasuke looked at Naruto, then at the blade, and then he closed his eyes. He seemed to meditate on it for a few seconds, before smiling to himself. When he opened his eyes, he had the serious, cold stare that made him the Academy's little heartbreaker.

"…" A long pause. "…Weasel Beater."

A **long** silence.

"…it was a joke."

A **LONG **silence.

"…I hate you people."

"…damn it, don't scare me like that, Teme."

"…hnn."

"…anyway." Shiki tried to forget the last few seconds of his life. "Hinata's turn."

* * *

Uchiha Itachi found himself in the dining room of the Akatsuki Den of Evil™. However, he wasn't there to satisfy a biological demand for sustenance. The large, rectangular table was spacious and allowed him to unfurl several scrolls comfortably. Also, the dining room was the most illuminated room in the Den of Evil, because, of course, Dens of Evil have to be dark and creepy.

He could have used the desk in his own room. It might not be as large, but it was comfortable and there was a lamp available. However, Kisame's chuckling and giggling had gotten annoying. Just what the hell was he reading anyway?

Itachi gently dipped the quill in the ink bottle and resumed his writing with long, elegant, flowing hand and wrist motions. Like everything he did, his calligraphy was perfect.

When he had time (which was surprisingly often since he joined the criminal organization), Itachi sat down and wrote everything he could about the jutsu he copied with his _**Sharingan**_. By doing that, he figured out the gaps in his knowledge of jutsu. Analyzing his written words helped him figure out how to improve on the techniques. Itachi wasn't satisfied with just knowing the techniques he copied. He wanted to master each and every single one of them, like the Sandaime. In this way, Itachi set himself further beyond the stagnant and talentless Clan he annihilated.

However, this **wasn't** what Itachi was doing that afternoon. This time his purpose was a bit more…selfish.

_Dear Sirs,_

_It has come to my attention that no new flavors of Pocky have been released in the past forty-one months. Considering the rate at which you previously released new varieties of your product, I find the current situation quite alarming. I am sure you have achieved an astounding success with your product, but it is well known to both me and you that an important factor to commercial success is staying ahead of the competition. You have done so in an excellent way for so many years, but, unless you proceed to offer a new release that will catch the attention of the customers, the situation may change in an unfavorable way to us both._

_I like Pocky. I have liked it since the very first time I tried it. I was three years old and my mother gave it to me so that I would shut up, but that's of no importance. I have consumed your product for many years, so, as a faithful customer, I believe it is within my rights to express this opinion and demand an immediate reevaluation of your current strategy. In other words, if I don't see a new, exciting, tongue-melting flavor of Pocky __**soon**__, I will go there personally and show your horrors of the likes of nothing your puny minds could possibly conceive. I will punish your weak minds and castigate your fragile bodies until you break and become nothing but shattered, drooling maggots. Then I shall-_

"Itachi-sa-GYAAAAAH!"

Tobi shrieked and fell on the rocky floor when his lone uncovered eye met Itachi's ferocious glare. Two sets of three black tomoe swirled wildly.

"Gyaah! It's melting! My skin's melting! It huuuuurts!"

"Itachi-san, would you please stop trapping Tobi in Genjutsu every time he bothers you?" Kohaku voiced as she emerged from the kitchen.

"No."

"Itachi-san!"

Itachi's _**Sharingan **_relaxed, but his expression didn't change. "…you set him on fire when he bothers you."

Kohaku had the decency to look guilty. "Oh. Well, that's because it's fun. This is just pathetic."

"It hurts! It huuuuuuurts!"

Without saying another word, Itachi dismissed the illusion, allowing Tobi to gasp and pant in relief.

"Sheesh, that's nasty." The amber-eyed woman shot a dark look at the Uchiha. "See? You even scared Nana-chan."

That's when Itachi noticed the minuscule girl hidden behind Kohaku's legs. Her snow-white hair, formerly quite long (she had obviously never had a haircut since her birth), had been cut short to her shoulders, just like Kohaku's. With her new hairdo and her extremely pale skin (consequence of living indoors the whole time), she could pass up as Kohaku's daughter or little sister. But, while Kohaku's amber eyes gleamed with life and emotion, the girl's metallic green looked bored. From her eyes only, Itachi would never believe what Kohaku had just said. However, while her eyes weren't good at displaying emotions, Itachi's trained eyes and the blessing of his _**Kekkei Genkai**_ let him notice uncertainty and a sense of alarm, obviously caused by his presence and actions.

The two females were wearing identical plain yukata, differing only in color: Kohaku's was brown with a red _**obi**_. The girl's was white with a blue wide belt.

"…the seven-tails."

"Nana-chan." Kohaku deadpanned. When Itachi's red eyes met hers, she repeated. "Her name's Nana-chan."

"Owies, owies…" Tobi rubbed his arms while he got on his feet, trying to dismiss the lasts wisps of phantom pains. "Mou, Itachi-san, that's mean!"

"You interrupted me." Itachi stated. Taking a look at the two females, he inquired. "Going out?"

"Yup." Kohaku confirmed. "Time to restock."

"…you are going by yourselves."

Kohaku shrugged. "Tobi's coming."

"Tobi likes to help!"

"Uh…huh."

Noticing the look she was getting from Itachi, Kohaku explained. "It's not like I haven't done this before, Itachi-san. Leader-sama trusts me; he knows I don't plan to escape. Nana-chan can't escape; heck, she can barely walk. Can you believe nobody taught her before? What were they thinking in that temple?"

Itachi nodded, acknowledging Kohaku's statements. "…well then." He said, looking back down at his scroll.

"Actually, I sent Tobi to ask you to come with us." Kohaku added. "I don't think we can carry everything ourselves."

Itachi blinked and looked at Kohaku. "…I'm busy."

"Aww, come on, Itachi-san!" Tobi voiced enthusiastically. "It'll be fun!"

"I'm busy." Itachi repeated. He intended to return to his…um, letter, but the look on Kohaku's face made him think twice.

She looked positively evil. As in Mama-Mikoto-hid-my-Pocky evil.

"Ah…that's a shame, a shame…a real shame indeed." Kohaku murmured, pretending to speak to herself.

Itachi narrowed his eyes. He **knew **that tone.

"Kakuzu-san has us in such a tight budget…" She continued in her best mock-sad tone. "…I think we'll have to make some sacrifices this month…like…I don't know…a certain member's monthly purchase of a certain number of boxes of a certain snack…?"

"We shall go immediately." Itachi was rolling and sealing scrolls at an unbelievable speed. The table was cleared in the time it took him to stand up. "And perform our purchases with the utmost efficiency."

"Waah! Itachi-san!"

Kohaku and "Nana-chan" silently watched Itachi make his way out of the Akatsuki Den of Evil™, Tobi following. The older woman looked at the little girl.

"Let this be a lesson for your future life, Nana-chan. If you can't get to them through their brains, get them through their stomachs. If that fails, get them by their dicks…but I really shouldn't tell you that. Heheh."

Nana only stared at the tall female to her left until Kohaku blinked, her eyes widening.

"Ah, right. You'll get your Seven-Tails extracted. Damn. Sorry."

The mute girl only stared.

* * *

"So cool, Hina-chan…"

Hinata blushed under the words of awe from Naruto's mouth. "Ye-Yes, Naruto-kun. They are quite impressive."

She shot one last appreciative look at the twin _**hachiwara**_ now tied on both sides of her waist. _Yes. With these…I will protect Naruto-kun._

Unlike Sasuke's rather plain _**shikomizue**_, Hinata's twin weapons had a strong fire theme, visible in both hilt and blade. The blades themselves had a strong reddish-orange tone that Hinata found hard to describe (and believe). The hilts were colored red, with dancing yellow-orange flames all over the surfaces.

The sheaths were remarkable works of art. Much to her annoyance, Hinata had to admit the girl, Tenten, had done an admirable job.

Hinata wondered if Tenten would have made such an effort had she known who the sheaths were for.

They were made of leather. It was understandable that Tenten hadn't made wooden _**saya**_, given that _**hachiwara **_aren't notable slashing weapons. The leather had been treated to look reddish. Tenten had carefully engraved silhouettes of trees on the hard cow skin, and then painted flames at an angle to create a portrait of (un?)holy fire descending from the heavens to consume a forest.

Curiously enough, the hilts also had metal covers, obviously for purely aesthetic purposes, as it would be detrimental to a warrior. They were shaped like scarlet dragon heads and curved, scaly necks. Since Naruto-kun and Saya-sensei wouldn't approve of her throwing them away (she saw no need for pointless accessories), she kept them in her pants' left pocket.

"Well then, it's Naruto's turn." Shiki declared before his adopted child could think of asking Hinata for her weapons' names.

"ALRIGHT!"

Shiki fully opened the large box, revealing the final secret of its contents.

"It's a…" Sasuke muttered.

"…scroll?" Hinata finished.

Indeed, it was a scroll, just like any other.

"Uh…"

"You won't have time to idle away devouring my library with your clones, anymore, boy, so I thought you could carry the library with you. Not ALL the books are in there, of course; just the reference material you use the most……the ones we rewrote with larger kana you can read." Shiki explained.

Unfortunately, his words seemed to have flowed through Naruto's head, given his response.

"…I don't get a badass weapon?"

Everyone, Saya included, blinked when Shiki's left hand roughly slapped Naruto's right cheek. The boy was stunned by the surprise, not the pain.

"Listen to yourself, boy. Listen to yourself. Is that what Uzumaki Naruto would say?"

_Umm…yeah! _Sasuke thought.

However, Naruto had yet to react. His mind was digesting Shiki's words and trying to make some sense of them. He also noticed the use of his "old" last name instead of Houraisan.

"Don't ever whine like that again. It's pathetic."

Shiki shot a look at his wife, who immediately grasped its meaning.

"Alright, we're done here. Uchiha, go back to your place. You too, girls." She made a gesture to Tenten and Hanabi, who acquiesced and walked away, shooting concerned glances at Naruto, who still seemed to be a bit out of it.

"Naruto, Hinata. We begin in three minutes." Saya said before walking away, her husband by her side. Alone, Hinata did the only thing she could think of.

"Na-Naruto-kun…?"

"I'm such an idiot."

"Eh?"

Naruto's shoulders dropped as he let go a sigh. His smile was laced with bitterness.

"I'm an ungrateful whiny jerk."

"Naruto-kun?"

His left hand rested on Hinata's right shoulder. Hinata would have been elated, but his expression didn't change.

"Uzumaki Naruto would not have complained. He wouldn't have whined. Uzumaki Naruto had nothing."

Hinata's eyes widened a bit as the point finally got across to her.

"It seems the whole 'Heir of Houraisan' thing was getting to my head, huh?" Naruto declared with a chuckle.

"Naruto-kun…"

"That goes to you too, Hina-chan." His hand gently squeezed her shoulder. Hinata smiled. Even through her clothes, she could feel the warmth of his hand…or so she believed.

"…never let the whole 'Big Clan' thing get to you. We already have one bastard too many."

Hinata giggled at the jab at Sasuke. "Certainly not, Naruto-kun."

"Well said. Now, let's do this. I hafta make my Father proud, you know." Naruto said as he got on his two feet, grabbing Shiki's gift on the way. Once he was standing up, he tried stretching his upper muscles. Hinata knew she was supposed to do some stretching of her own, too, but she was too busy enjoying the eye candy that was shirtless-Naruto. Knowing she would do something stupid like drool or giggle if she remained silent, she tried to make some conversation. It would also give her an innocent reason to keep watching, after all. She went with a follow-up to what Naruto had just said.

"I…I want to make you proud, Na-Naruto-kun." Hinata admitted, feeling the warmth on his cheeks the moment she said those words.

"Silly girl."

"Huh?" Despair would have struck her if it weren't for the wonderful smile on his face.

"I'm already proud of you, Hina-chan."

"Huh?" The warmth and the redness extended all over her face. "What…?"

"You're becoming the strong girl you told me you wanted to be, Hina-chan. Remember?" Naruto scratched the back of his head. "I didn't really do anything; it was all Saya-kaa-chan, but I'm proud of you…"

Hinata's eyes widened in alarm, and she quickly seized Naruto's free hand with her both. "Ple-please don't say that, Naruto-kun!" She was able to read his surprise. She was getting more and more proficient at reading Naruto's emotions despite his limitations in expression.

"I…I couldn't have done it without you! I…I…the only reason I…"

_I'm becoming strong…because of you…and only for you…the Clan is secondary…as long as I…_

Naruto chuckled and his face gained a gentler expression. The hand Hinata wasn't holding ended up on her left shoulder. Never once he considered the fact that they were making a scene in front of everyone, even if their words didn't reach their audience. Naruto wasn't one to care about such things…most of the time.

"Thank you…"

Naruto's open mouth lingered for an extra second, allowing Hinata to perceive his hesitation. "Na-Naruto-kun?"

"Hina-chan…I…I hope…" He chuckled a bit timidly. "…I hope we end up in the same team."

It wasn't a declaration of eternal love, but Hinata seized it like a lifeline, feeding from the honesty and the kindness in her words and cherishing them as they filled her heart with wonderful warmth.

Her heart and her crotch. But nobody really wants to know that.

She returned his honesty and his words with her most sincere and most radiant smile.

"I wish for the same, Naruto-kun."

She had already put some thought into that, in fact. It was a shame the Hokage himself made the team selections. He was a man she couldn't just…"coerce" into assigning her to the same team as Naruto-kun.

A few moments later, Hinata followed Naruto with her eyes as he walked towards her little sister. He intended to give Hanabi the scroll to hold while he was fighting. Hinata decided to do a little warm-up in the two or so minutes they had left, seeing that Saya was doing the same.

"Saru."

"Hmm?" The Third Hokage's eyes followed Naruto as he exchanged some last words with Hiashi's youngest daughter and the weapons expert of Team Gai.

"The day after tomorrow, after the team selections…we're telling Naruto. About Kyuubi."

The Third Hokage and all the adults nearby stared in utmost astonishment at the Lady Houraisan. Before anybody could think of making a scene, Saya continued.

"Shiki and I aren't bound by your law, Sarutobi. Since the moment we adopted him Shiki and I decided to tell him, one day. Now that he's become a ninja, he deserves to know. He must know of the burden he carries so that he can prepare himself for the consequences."

"You mean…" Hiashi uttered.

"I mean those who will be after him for the Nine-Tails, both inside and outside Konoha."

"…are you sure that is wise, Saya?"

"That's beyond the point." Shiki answered for his wife. "It is something that must be done."

"One minute." Saya said, more to herself than to anyone else. She was looking forward to this.

* * *

"Hmm…"

With an emotionless gaze, Itachi faced his latest challenge. It was an intellectual trial of the highest caliber, a test that put his prodigious mental capacity under maximum strain. His supra-perceptive Copy Wheel Eyes examined the scene in front of him, capturing every hundredth of an inch to the utmost detail, all with the purpose of solving this, the most overwhelming of dilemmas.

Housewives, old men and young children took a wide berth around the cloaked Uchiha, not daring to get caught in the line of fire of that terrible battle. Only Tobi, like a faithful, loyal puppy, dared stand next to the mighty S-rank nin, despite the obvious aura of power Itachi irradiated in his intense concentration. It wouldn't be so farfetched to claim Itachi was empowering his neurons with chakra. All for the sake of this, the ultimate question.

"Hmm…mmu-mu-hmm…which…which flavors should I take this time…?"

Tobi looked at Itachi, then at the Pocky stand, then back at Itachi. "Yeah, it's a toughie…they're all so great!"

"Yes, they are."

By the end of the hallway, Kohaku slammed her right palm on her forehead. "Idiots. The two of them."

Nana just stared.

"I cannot pick. It's impossible. I must have them ALL!"

Kohaku groaned. "Kakuzu-san's your problem, Uchiha."

Nana stared some more.

* * *

"Hina-chan…"

"Yes, Naruto-kun?" She smiled placidly at her Sun.

"You…you're letting your hair grow a bit, aren't you?"

Hinata blinked. For all her feelings, she couldn't figure out why such simple words made her feel so elated. She raised her right hand to get a feel of her dark hair, which draped down like a waterfall on all three sides until halfway down her neck. She smiled to herself.

"You noticed?"

Naruto practically pouted. "Hey, I'm blind, but I can notice those things!" His smile became a bit mischievous. "I also noticed when you began wearing that jacket."

"Eh!?" Hinata squeaked. She had to stop herself from crossing her arms in front of her chest. "You-you knew!?"

Indeed, Hinata had suddenly begun to wear a thick beige jacket some months before. Naruto never commented on it, not even after he figured out the reason…not that he really figured it out himself; he had Sasuke's help. While he had to give credit to the Uchiha for being so perceptive, it also gave him a nice piece of blackmail material.

"Oh, well…" Naruto voiced in a rather sing-song tone. "…I guess it's part of growing up, isn't it?"

"Na-Naruto-kun!" Hinata's scandalized tone was heard by everyone in the clearing. Naruto only chuckled, even if he couldn't see the crimson blush on the girl's otherwise pale cheeks. "It's not fair…"

_For you…I wouldn't mind taking it off…_

She wouldn't tolerate anyone else looking at her developing breasts. Nobody but her Naruto-kun.

Saya touched the tips of her sandals one last time. Letting her back rest on the grass, she propelled herself upwards legs first, the very high side slits of her cheongsam offering everyone an eyeful of her shapely legs.

"Alright, let's do this! Shannaro!"

Naruto grimaced. "Oh Kami, she said it."

Hinata, already used to (and looking forward to) Naruto's reaction whenever Saya used the trademark Haruno battle cry, anticipated his words by offering herself to him.

"I am here, Naruto-kun."

"Hold me!"

And hold him she did.

Hiashi twitched. Mikoto and Atsuki chuckled. Sarutobi's lips curved slightly upwards.

Sasuke raised an eyebrow. _Bastard._

"Alright, you two, enough fun and games." Saya demanded as she walked towards them. She stopped no less than five steps away and waited for Hinata to (reluctantly) let go of the short blond.

"I guess you should know this fight is unnecessary. I have already seen plenty enough of your performance to deem it acceptable, Naruto."

Naruto grinned in unmasked satisfaction, but didn't forget to bow respectfully. "Thank you very much!"

"I am also impressed with what you have accomplished with Hanabi-chan."

Naruto chuckled and shrugged. "Well, Hana-chan's awesome."

"I'm awesome." Hanabi declared with a wide, Naruto-esque grin. Tenten to her left chuckled. Sasuke to her right rolled his eyes.

"So!" Saya raised her tone. "This is no longer a test, but a lecture. My last lecture to you, Naruto."

She continued before Naruto could voice his confusion.

"You are a Fuuton and _**Fuuinjutsu**_ specialist, Naruto. These are the things you focus on from this point onwards. Shiki intends to increase the intensity of your instruction in the Art of Sealing, and your development of Fuuton Ninjutsu depends on you and only you. I will no longer have time to give you a proper instruction in Taijutsu, and I no longer have to. From now on, that will be up to your instructor and team leader. If you want to learn the more advanced _**Yokazeryuu **_techniques, you know where the scrolls are. They have already been rewritten so you can read them. We can also practice whenever you feel like it, as long as we both have time."

"Just like Shiki will now seize my time slot to further your instruction, I will now devote my entire teaching time to my own student."

With that said, Saya's eyes shifted to Hinata.

"Hinata."

The short girl straightened herself. It was a good thing she was wearing that jacket, or her chest might have drawn a bit too much attention. The serious expression Saya had used to address Naruto became the gentle smile that became her namesake.

"Hinata…you have grown quite a bit since the first time you came here, haven't you? I look at you now, and it's hard to believe you are the little sad girl I saw that day."

Hiashi's eyes narrowed a bit. He was unable to dismiss the tiny spark of guilt that hit him in that moment.

Sasuke, too, narrowed his eyes. He had been suspicious since the moment he greeted her earlier that afternoon. This Hinata in front of him was at odds with the Hinata he had known for the last six years. Just what was going on here?

Hinata bit the inside of her lower lip. She didn't like to remember her disgustingly weak former self. Of course, she was unaware of the fact that her mind was still as weak as it had ever been, if not worse.

"Yes, you have changed, my girl…" _Or more like, he has changed you…_ Saya shot a glance at Naruto for an instant.

"I have been teaching you for how long? Five years?"

Gai, Rock Lee, Tenten and Sasuke, who had been ignorant of this fact until that moment, displayed their surprise with different levels of expression. Rock Lee didn't react much. Or maybe his eyes widened; it's hard to tell with him. Sasuke did widen his eyes and blinked a few times for good measure. Tenten's body stiffened for some reason, as if Saya's words were a bad omen.

Gai made an award-winning imitation of a _**koi**_ fish.

"I have to say, I had my doubts…" Saya admitted with a guilty smile. "…especially since it took you so long to learn how to make Fire-nature chakra. But, as I predicted, when you got the hang of it, you grew by leaps and bounds."

She got a plethora of odd looks when she suddenly laughed for no apparent reason. "Those silly coots, the Hyuuga Elders…they're a bunch of idiots. No offense, Hiashi-kun."

Hiashi didn't reply.

"You're doing one hell of job with that whole 'shy, meek' act of yours, Hinata. The Elders see only what they want to see. They are ignorant. So is the rest of Konoha."

Hinata would agree, but she thought it wouldn't be appropriate to open her mouth.

"You have the smarts and the control to become a Genjutsu specialist. You have already shown me you can learn Ninjutsu techniques. And we both know what you can do with Taijutsu, don't we?"

"Hinata, you are the strongest shinobi of your generation."

The weight and the confidence in Saya's words blanketed the whole place, drowning the minds of those present. While it was obvious there was no doubt in Saya's mind, it was still hard to believe for most of the present.

"I am absolutely certain my Naruto will eventually surpass you, but, as it is right now, I'm sure you can beat him or any of your classmates."

"Oi, I'm here, too, you know…" Sasuke mumbled in a rather childish manner. He was ignored. Saya laughed again.

"Why, you might be even better than Gai's little Genin!"

For an instant-no, a fraction of an instant, Tenten could have sworn Hinata's eyes were on hers. Measuring her, studying her.

Mocking her.

Tenten had to suppress a shiver. Neji's little cousin bothered her, and it was more than just her attitude.

"Do not let that get to your head, huh, Hinata?"

"Your comparisons are of no relevance to me, Saya-sensei."

_I must become strong for Naruto-kun. To remain by his side, I must become stronger._

Saya frowned a bit at Hinata's choice of words, but let it pass. She had long ago noticed that not all was right in her student's head. Saya didn't really mind that much. Ninjas weren't precisely known for their mental health. So Hinata was developing issues a bit earlier than usual. No big deal. Saya had seen it happen more than once in her long life. And Saya knew she wasn't precisely a paragon of sanity.

"This will be a last lesson for Naruto, but this is **your **test, Hinata. Show me what you can do. Show me the drive, the determination that pushed you forward all these years. Show me that I haven't wasted my time these past five years. Show me that you are ready for the next level. Show me that I didn't do a mistake when I decided to teach you."

Saya put lowered her body a bit at the same time she leaned forward, setting her left foot one step ahead for support. Her right hand dropped close to the holster on her right leg. Her left arm was slightly raised; palm looking up. It was a _**Karyuu**_ stance Hinata was overly familiar with.

"Show me that you are not your mother. Show me Hyuuga Hinata."

Hinata slowly assumed an identical stance. "Naruto-kun."

"Uh? Huh?" Naruto, who had remained outside the exchange, absorbed by the mostly-one-sided conversation between Taijutsu Master and student, was mostly startled by his friend's call. "Wha…what is it, Hina-chan?"

Hinata's tense expression relaxed a bit. She loved to hear Naruto call her "Hina-chan." It was rather bothersome that he also used "Hana-chan" and "Ten-chan," though.

"Naruto-kun…umm…please…please watch me."

_I want to make you proud. I want to make you happy. I want you to want me. Let me show you…my strength. It is yours._

_I am yours._

Saya made an inviting gesture with her left hand.

"…come."

And Hinata exploded.

* * *

The two fourteen-year-olds rested under the ample shade of a tree. One of them was deeply focused on examining his kunai, the thin locks of his black hair falling down his forehead and covering his big, brown eyes. While he had no knowledge of metallurgy or weaponsmithing, he had a knack for detail and an obsession for flawlessness. He knew he was rather average as a shinobi, so he seized whatever advantage he might find, even if it was something as trivial as his kunai being properly taken care of.

The other boy was on one foot, his right foot being pressed against the tree, same as his back and the back of his hands on which his head rested. His dark brown hair was messy, long and unkempt, an indirect consequence of an inexplicable fear of haircuts. His clothes were an obvious attempt at copying the standard Chuunin outfit, only with different colors (leaning towards different shades of brown) and less scroll holders on his jacket. His eyes were busy following the motions of his female teammate.

Or, more precisely, the motions of a certain part of her anatomy.

Dark blue eyes with long eyelashes focused on an opponent that existed only in her mind, she practiced the tried and true Academy katas, plus the several additions taught by their sensei in their two, almost three years as a team. Droplets of sweat jumped off her fair skin as she moved with precise yet inelegant steps. Her long, lustrous black hair, normally kept in a ponytail, was blown freely that afternoon, practically sparkling under the spring sun.

She jumped to perform a flawless roundhouse kick in the air. The standing boy shamelessly followed the beautiful motion of her generous bust. The Konoha forehead protector, loosely tied around her neck, mirrored the motions of her breasts.

_Thank you, gravity._

Her tight black t-shirt followed the contour of her upper body so that it was easy to admire the shape and size of her bust. A more perceptive and knowledgeable person (as in, not her lone admirer that afternoon) would have noticed the obvious absence of a brassiere under that shirt.

"You know, you could at least try to be less obvious, Manaka." The sitting boy muttered in a rather tired tone. The other boy snorted.

"Oh, come on, Ishijiki. Don't tell me you don't want to grab those melons and squeeze them hard."

Ishijiki Kai, fourteen years old, didn't respond.

The girl made a series of high kicks, displaying her shapely legs not really covered by very tight ochre shorts that barely made it to mid-thigh.

"Hot damn." Yamai Manaka, fourteen-years-old, had to lick his dried lips. "Was she always this fucking hot?"

Kai's chuckle was barely heard. Manaka shook his head and let his body fall, sitting down not for comfort, but to conceal his obvious arousal.

"Damn it, man, I want to suck those tits."

Kai's hair did a good job of hiding the rolling of his eyes. He was already quite used to his partner's blatantly blunt language. Manaka shot a frustrated look at his black-haired companion.

"Oh, come on; don't tell me you don't want her."

Kai's grin couldn't be concealed. "…I'm not denying anything."

Manaka grin mischievously. "Now we're talking. Come on, what would you like to do with her? Tell your buddy."

"I'd rather keep my sexual fantasies to myself, Manaka."

"Spoilsport."

"Masaki-sensei!"

The girl's excited call to the approaching figure was a straight reminder of just why neither Kai nor Manaka tried to make a move on her.

She had it **bad** for their Jounin-sensei.

They would have normally tried to convince the girl to throw away her silly crush on their sensei, but it was hard to do it when her legs had an uncanny ability to break their defenses and reach for their crotches.

At first glance their teacher looked kind of plain, compared with the weirdoes that mostly filled the ranks above Chuunin. His black hair was kept short, if a bit messy. His dark eyes carried the no-nonsense attitude of a man that didn't laugh much. He didn't carry any special equipment, either; only standard ninja tools and a pair of scrolls on his vest. However, his standard Jounin attire didn't conceal his tough, muscular body. They had also seen him in action enough to know he deserved his rank, even if he didn't have the reputation of his fellows.

"Come here, you three." Even his voice was a rather ordinary baritone. Masaki Kouki, twenty-seven years old, pulled out a piece of paper from his pocket as his three Genin made a line in front of him.

"Good to see you listen to me and practiced while I was away, Yume."

The girl's smile blossomed as she nodded eagerly and straightened up. Kai and Manaka subtly followed the little bounce of her alluring breasts.

"Yes, Masaki-sensei!"

The Jounin turned to look at the brown-haired boy, the tallest of the three. "On the other hand, your laziness disappoints me, Manaka."

"O-Oi!" Manaka immediately went on the defensive. "Kai wasn't doing anything either!"

"He was at least taking care of his equipment. You, on the other hand, were just wasting your time."

Yume and Kai blinked in obvious surprise. Kai groaned. _Man, how did he even notice that from a distance?_

"Anyway." The Jounin proceeded to change the topic. "We have to make plans for our next mission."

This caught the Genin's attention. "Pla-plan?" Yume voice the three's doubts. "Wha…what are we gonna…?"

Kouki flipped the paper around and the Genin got a good look. It was, in fact, a photograph; the picture of a young girl with long, dark hair and the famous white eyes of the Hyuuga Clan. A single thin lock of hair divided her face in two. It was the picture included in her registration papers at the Academy. She had the trademark no-nonsense Hyuuga face.

"This," Kouki shook the photo a bit. "is Hyuuga Hanabi, the daughter of Clan Leader Hyuuga Hiashi."

"…we are going to kidnap her."

* * *

The _**Karyuu **_style favors speed. Raw, wild, overwhelming speed. It is like Gai's and Lee's Strong Fist, without the Power element. _**Karyuu**_ states that adding force to the blows is of no importance. As long as you hit, the opponent will eventually fall. Besides, who needs powerful punches when your hands can incinerate?

Hinata knew this well. She had fully embraced this philosophy of speed, and she showed it since the very beginning.

In an instant, she was in front of Saya, aiming with the tips of her right hand's fingers at her teacher's midsection. _**Jyuken**_.

Saya parried with her left hand. It was the point of the stance, after all. A coat of flames engulfed Hinata's left hand before it struck at Saya's solar plexus. Saya sidestepped it to her left. Hinata quickly spun counterclockwise and tried a low left kick at Saya's left ankle. Saya blocked Hinata's left leg with her own and sent her burning left hand forward to strike Hinata's face. The young Hyuuga ducked and pulled her leg back to raise it for an inverse roundhouse kick that left an arc of flames in the air as the foot made its sweep. Saya took a step back to get out of the way.

Just as Saya retraced that step back to get back on the offensive and take advantage of Hinata's precarious position, the shorter girl fiercely jumped to make a frighteningly fast scissor kick with her right leg. Saya blocked with both arms and, for a second, Hinata's leg and Saya's arms and head were consumed by flames.

Hinata grasped the ground with her hands, but a hand suddenly emerged from the smoke and gently touched her stomach.

"_**Furyuushou**_."

Everyone's eyes followed Hinata's body as it blew a good ten yards away. It was already common knowledge that the Wind Dragon Palm did no notable damage, but it still was impressive to see how good it was at blowing people away.

Saya fully emerged from the small smoke cloud, intact. Her attention was on Naruto. "So, what are you wai-"

She quickly drew a kunai to block the three incoming shuriken. By the time she was done Hinata was less than four yards away.

_Fast! _Saya admitted, positively surprised.

Hinata threw a kunai almost at point-blank. Saya dodged to her left and Hinata followed with a high right palm thrust aimed at the left side of Saya's chest, over her heart. Saya grabbed the offending arm with her free hand (her left). Both Hinata's and Saya's arms were wrapped in flames.

There was a short standstill. For about one second, the two Taijutsu artists just studied each other's eyes. Hinata found out that not even _**Byakugan**_ could show her how Saya intended to move next. Saya wondered when exactly had Hinata activated her Bloodline Limit.

They moved at the same time. With a flick, Saya threw the kunai in her right hand at Hinata's face. Hinata once again spun counterclockwise, fully intending to bury her left elbow on Saya's left side. The Lady Houraisan raised her right leg to aim a kick to Hinata's abdomen. The Hyuuga girl raised her right leg, her knee blocking Saya's incoming kick, and Saya's right hand stopped Hinata's elbow.

Another pause. They stared at each other for another second, as if making a silent agreement.

They let go of each other at the same time. Hinata set her right foot on the ground, and finished her counterclockwise turn, this time a make a low sweeping kick. Saya flipped over Hinata's body. The two reached for their holsters simultaneously. Two kunai met in midflight. Hinata smirked.

_Got you!_

Faster than she had ever moved before, Hinata leapt higher than Saya, who was already in her descending stage. The teacher recognized the Fire-chakra-fed leg impulse and what would come next, crossing her arms in front of her chest in response.

At the apex of her powerful leap, Hinata spun in midair to add momentum to her thrusting downwards kick.

"_**Musoukyaku**_!"

The audience (sans Hiashi and Shiki) gasped in unison when a ball of flame consumed Saya's body and grew outwards as if eager to devour Hinata, too. It receded and disappeared almost as quickly as it initially emerged, revealing the lone figure of Hinata standing at attention. She was surrounding by a small cloud of strangely clean smoke. She had seen it often enough to recognize the jutsu.

_Kage Bunshin…where-_

Her left hand reached for a _**hachiwara**_ and raised the weapon. Without turning around to face her, Hinata blocked Saya's incoming finger pressure strike with the blade. Saya showed her amazing dexterity by managing to stop the weapon by the flat side with her bare hand.

A third pause.

Saya leapt away and Hinata was able to turn around. Saya was making hand seals.

_**Katon! Goukakyuu no Jutsu!**_

She inhaled, and then released a man-sized ball of flames that utterly consumed Hinata. Saya's feet touched hard ground, and she stared placidly the whole five seconds the ball of fire raged on the spot Hinata had stood, until it faded into loose, weak flickering and fleeting flame wisps, revealing an unscathed Hyuuga Hinata.

Everyone stared mutely. Saya just smiled.

"So you got the hang of it."

Hinata nodded. "It was rather simple once I understood the principle is the same. I still need to concentrate a bit. I'm working on that."

"What…wha…" Tenten uttered. Mikoto still had the ability to vocalize properly.

"She's good…much better than I thought…"

"YOSH! Your Taijutsu is BLAZING! Hyuuga-san!"

Shiki rolled his eyes at Rock Lee's comment. "Literally." He shot a glance at Hiashi, who wielded a perfect mask, lacking emotion.

_Yes, Hiashi. Look at your daughter._

Tenten voiced her question. "All that fire…why aren't they hurt?" Her tone was almost desperate. After waiting for a moment and making sure nobody else would tackle the question, Shiki assumed his age-old role of enlightener of the masses.

"It's an unexpected benefit of _**Karyuu**_ style Saya discovered when she developed it."

"The practitioner of _**Karyuu **_style shapes two layers of Fire-nature chakra over her limbs. The outer layer makes a controllable reaction with the air's oxygen to create the signature flames of the style's attacks. The inner layer acts as a barrier to prevent those same flames from harming her. That's why the second element of _**Karyuu**_, after high-speed motion, is chakra control."

"Once a student of _**Karyuu**_ learns how to create this double layer, it is easy to extend the inner layer to cover more than just the limbs. They can cover their entire bodies, or even their clothes, by making the layer thicker."

"What I'm trying to say is: _**Karyuu**_ users are immune to fire in all its forms."

Sarutobi, Gai, Hiashi and Anko nodded. They all had seen either Saya or Himeko using the style before, so they already knew of this advantage. Mikoto's flawless expression faltered for a second, her Uchiha-pride struck for a moment after the discovery of an ultimate anti-fire defense.

"Is that so…?"

Sasuke didn't have his mother's skill at concealing emotions. Neither did Tenten.

"Of course, a hot-enough flame can harm them, and the protection uses chakra, so it's not a perfect defense. Still, it's very, very effective."

"So they haven't hurt each other at all?" Mikoto inquired.

"Oh, well, their blows hurt each other just like anyone else, so Hinata has taken some damage, but, no, Saya's flame hasn't hurt Hinata, and viceversa."

"Then what's the point of those two fighting with the same style?" Anko wondered.

"Well, it's the style Hinata learned and the one she's best at."

"Just like her mother." Gai commented, his mind reviewing precious memories of a friend long gone.

"Yes." Shiki nodded. "Her _**Karyuu**_ is much better than her _**Jyuken**_, and she only knows the basics of _**Houraisan no Doryuu**_. Saya's just being courteous. Besides, they can hurt each other with something other than physical blows, despite their fire protection."

It would be up to Hanabi to ask the obvious question.

"…where's Naruto-nii-chan?"

"Eh?" Most of the present uttered in response. They had all been so distracted with Saya and Hinata that nobody had notice Naruto's absence.

Four kunai flew towards Saya's head from four orthogonal directions. Saya frowned. By their flight path, she wouldn't even need to dodge them-

_Duck!_

Four kunai clashed together two inches above her, where her head had just been an instant before. Hinata went on the offensive, and another round of exchanged fiery blows began.

"Wha…what did just happen?" Lee uttered in honest confusion.

Shiki followed the four original flying kunai until they disappeared in the foliage. The four other kunai that had clashed together fell on the grass with a clattering threnody.

"Kunai sealed in kunai. That boy…"

"Ugh!" Hinata grunted when she took a punch on the left side of her jaw. Saya would have continued her assault if eight kunai hadn't closed in on her from several directions. Four of them suddenly changed direction and flew upwards above Saya's head. The Taijutsu Mistress dodged and parried the other four about the same time the four kunai above changed into four Narutos.

"_**Furyuushou**_!"

Four simultaneous Wind Dragon Palms raised a maelstrom on the ground where Saya had stood. The woman however, had moved away from ground zero in an impressive burst of speed.

Not one to waste time, the four Narutos quickly seized control of the kunai nearby and remotely threw them at his surrogate mother. Saya had no problem dodging them.

"About time you decide to show up, boy."

The four blondes blushed in unison. "Yeah…I was kind of standing there like a dumbass, huh?" His sheepish smile grew when he turned to Hinata. "But, wow! You're awesome, Hina-chan!"

For once, Hinata didn't go into a blushing fit. The adrenaline coursing through her developing body prevented it. She did, however, lower her head a bit. "I…I haven't really done anything…but…thank you…"

However, while she acknowledged and appreciated Naruto's compliment, her mind was going in another direction.

_Not enough_.

Slowly, Hinata grabbed the twin blades on her lower back. She had intended to activate the seals on them, when she remembered something Naruto had said. Her brain worked at record speed coming up with something she thought Naruto would approve of. Six seconds later, she was ready, and her hands moved forwards for everyone to see her new weapons.

"Obliterate all obstacles and devour all my enemies…_**Kagutsuchi**_! _**Kagabiko**_!"

The two _**hachiwara **_exploded in flames that covered them like fiery blades much longer than the real ones. Wielding two blades of fire, Hinata resumed her _**Karyuu **_stance.

"Waa…that's so cool, onee-chan!" Hanabi clapped excitedly. Naruto turned to shoot a ferocious look to Sasuke.

"See?" His tone was demanding. "**That's** what I'm talking about! **Badass**!"

Sasuke muttered something about stupid blondes and the unfairness of the world. _Too bad for the girl Naruto can't see what everyone else sees._

Despite her small size and overall unthreatening outwards appearance, the fierce, confident grip of the flame blades, her aggressive stance poised for combat and the no-bullshit look on her frighteningly serious face made for quite a sight. The wisps of flame lighted her hair in a way that made it shine.

Sasuke wasn't blind, but it was only then that the youngest of the remaining Uchiha saw Hyuuga Hinata as an attractive girl.

Besides, he was smart enough to figure out why she had suddenly taken to wear that thick jacket. He wouldn't admit it out loud, especially not within hearing distance of his fangirls, but he was quite interested on seeing what was hidden beyond the white-beige fabric.

"Naruto-kun, please come here for a moment."

"Uh? Uh…sure."

"Please reach into the equipment I was given for this fight." Hinata requested once he was close enough and giving a wide berth to the fiery blades. "There should be some exploding tags you can use."

"Ah! Of course! Awesome!"

Shiki raised an eyebrow. "Oi."

"It's not against the rules, Houraisan Shiki-sama." Hinata justified herself. She had to fight the awkwardness of Naruto reaching for the pouch on her back side. Oh, if he just reached further down and touched **her**…

She raised her right arm so that the flames would conceal her reddened face. "A-Are you done, Naruto-kun?"

"Um!"

"Good. Let's both do our best."

Less than two seconds later, Hinata was on the fray again. She didn't flinch when Saya caught her right flaming blade with her left hand, quickly sending her chakra to her legs to power a jump.

"_**Tsumuji Mai**_!"

Saya's arms blocked the ascending whirlwind kick, but the woman didn't hesitate to make hand seals before the last kick reached her. The ensuing explosion sent a burn log flying away.

"See?" Shiki commented. "Even if they cannot harm each other with their flames, they can do it by adding explosive power to their blows."

The dozen or so kunai on the ground took flight simultaneously towards the trees. Saya jumped from the foliage and away from the kunai's trajectory. Hinata threw three kunai of her own at her in-mid-air target. Saya responded with three kunai of her own. Naruto ran towards Saya's expected landing point and thrust his right hand forward. The kunai Hinata had thrown abruptly flew upwards and then corrected their trajectory, avoiding collision with Saya's kunai and resuming their path towards the Taijutsu Master.

_Great, Naruto-kun!_

"_**Furyuushou**_!" Saya aimed to her right, using the impulse of the wind blast move away from the kunai and make an abrupt, but safe, landing.

_That Naruto…those other kunai…he must have clones hidden in the trees!_

Naruto reached melee range and struck with a succession of wide spinning swipes that took Saya by surprise. It was _**Ryoutotsugeki**_, a _**Karyuu **_attack pattern.

_He's probably seen Hinata using it so many times he was able to copy it._

In addition, the dozen clone-controlled kunai went after her at the same time, making it increasingly difficult to dodge both the flying weapons and Naruto's attacks.

Just like Saya had predicted several years before, the _**Tesabaki**_-Taijutsu combination was fearsome indeed.

Naruto suddenly jumped to the right. While dodging the relentless assault of the flying kunai, Saya's eyes followed Naruto as he ran towards a nearby tree, jumped and then jumped from the trunk upwards. The kunai around her suddenly flew away, which was quickly explained by Hinata moving in to melee, flaming blades in tow.

"That boy…" Gai muttered.

"_**Furyuushou**_!" Naruto aimed his Wind Dragon Palm straight down, shooting his body to the sky via Newton's Third Law.

"…he doesn't want to hurt his partner."

Everyone nodded. Naruto obviously didn't intend to try the Storm of Blades with Hinata.

Saya and Hinata were exchanging blows when Naruto yelled from above. "Hina-chan!"

Two small scrolls were in his hands for a second. When he released them, _**Tesabaki**_ ensured they descended in a spiral surrounding the two females in battle. Naruto's intentions obvious; Saya tried to jump away, only to be held back by Hinata's left hand, having dropped the _**hachiwara**_.

Shiki frowned.

Saya stared at Hinata in disbelief.

Hinata smirked.

_We're eating steel together, sensei._

"NARUTO-KUN!"

Aware of Hinata's intentions, Naruto tensed. "Damn it…_**Tajuu Kage Bunshin no Jutsu**_!"

Suddenly the air was full of Narutos.

"What the-?" Tenten exclaimed. Lee could only gasp at the sight. Sasuke remained silent, but the look on his eyes said it all. Even the adults, who were aware of Naruto's superb chakra reserves, were taken aback by the blond's latest feat.

At least sixty of them appeared around the real one, all of them readied with the ram seal.

"Don't move an inch, Hina-chan!"

Saya made a half-seal with her free hand.

And the scrolls unleashed their barrage.

"_**Ninpou: Nijyuu Rasen Renda**_!"

"Wow!" Tenten exclaimed and jumped on her seat.

Naruto's clones made sure to move any kunai in collision course with Hinata's body. However, the swarm of kunai bounced harmlessly on impact with Saya's body.

"How…?" Rock Lee muttered.

"She hardened her skin with Earth-nature chakra. It's a common technique in Iwagakure." His sensei promptly explained.

The emptied scrolls fell on the grass, useless. Naruto and his clones reached the ground. Hinata quickly let go of Saya and went for the chest with a double blow overloaded with Fire chakra. However, Saya proved her superior speed by crouching and knocking Hinata off her feet with a low sweeping kick that the Hyuuga girl simply couldn't follow. Saya immediately got up and raised her right leg for a heel drop.

The sound of clanking metal stopped her. She used _**Kawarimi**_ right before the sea of kunai loitered all around the two clashed together where she had been a moment before. With her gone, gravity made the kunai fall once more, this time on the prone Hinata.

"Ow!"

"Heheh…sorry…Hina-chan…" All the clones jumped away and disappeared into the forest.

"Naruto…" Tenten muttered. It was obvious the boy was exhausted. He had used a tremendous amount of chakra.

"Naruto-kun!" Hinata quickly grabbed the blade she had dropped and leapt over to him so that they stood back to back. "You know where she is?"

The blind heir nodded. His hands were busy wrapping exploding tags around two kunai. "So do you."

Hinata nodded. "Why did you waste so much chakra, Naruto-kun?"

"Are you kidding me?" Naruto hissed angrily. Hinata tilted her head a bit to the side.

"Don't you want to win?"

"I don't want to kill my friend in the process!"

Hinata didn't respond to that, only shutting down her right blade and sheathing the two weapons away.

_The advantages do not justify the chakra expense; at least not against Saya-sensei._

She drew three kunai. Naruto released the two tagged kunai, which proceeded to circle the two children like satellites. Naruto fired the first one towards the point where he knew Saya was hiding (he could trace her when she hid behind trees, but not when she hid inside the foliage) and began to wrap a tag around a third one.

Indeed, Saya leapt away and began to dash in a straight line towards the two, the attached tag exploding behind her. Hinata threw her first kunai a second before Naruto fired his second, which was followed by Hinata's second an instant later. Saya caught Hinata's kunai and immediately threw it at Naruto's. The two projectiles crashed and fell harmlessly to the ground. Naruto released the third kunai. Saya quickly changed direction to dodge Hinata's second kunai, taking a diagonal while keeping a constant distance from the two. Hinata threw the last of her kunai and drew her blades again, ready to go back to melee. She didn't activate the fire seals, though.

Saya stopped to bend her body away from Hinata's kunai and then moved forward to meet Hinata. Strangely enough, Hinata went for a high jump kick with her left leg, which Saya blocked by crossing her arms to the right of her head. Saya frowned when she felt Hinata's leg pushing forward. The force made Hinata's body swing to her left in the air, and the Hyuuga heiress slammed her hands on the ground before swinging her leg away from Saya's face.

That's when Naruto launched his third kunai.

Saya jumped up. Naruto smirked. The kunai changed direction and went after her. The second kunai shot up like a bullet from the ground and went after the airborne Saya, too.

_Oh shi-_

Everyone followed Saya with her eyes as she was blasted away to her left. Her feet slid a few yards on the ground after landing, but even her clothes were unharmed.

Hinata hadn't hesitated. She didn't even bother trying to figure out how Saya had defended (a bit of thought would have led to the conclusion that Saya once again used the Stone Skin technique). She simply ran after her opponent from the moment she saw Saya's body and the direction in which it was thrown.

Saya let go a sigh the moment her body reached a halt, and that was everything she got to do. An instant later, her face was buried in the blue cloth that covered Hinata's crotch. Her felt her head being trapped in a vice grip by Hinata's strong legs.

_This is-_

"Neck breaker!" Lee exclaimed.

Hinata tightened her muscles to the max and violently twisted her body to the left.

"Eh?"

She was falling; her balance disrupted by the fact that Saya's head did not move in the slightest. She tried to stop her fall with her hands, but a nasty kick on her back sent her flying away and made her let go of her weapons. Major wincing ensued when Hinata ended up smashed face-first on a tree.

"Hina-chan!" Naruto made a step towards the fallen girl, but hesitated and turned to look at Saya. The woman felt Naruto's focus on her and nodded slowly, allowing Naruto to go tend to the fallen girl. Hinata was getting up slowly. Her nose was thoroughly broken. Saya couldn't stop herself from laughing heartily at that.

"Ah, good, good…" She nodded approvingly. "Good to know you're taking this seriously, Hinata. Maybe a little too seriously, but that I can deal with."

Hinata seized the chance and leaned on Naruto's sweaty naked torso. Had she been in better health, she would have giggled stupidly.

"Naruto." Saya continued. "That Double Spiral Barrage you used…you just came up with it, didn't you?"

"Uh? Um…yeah…"

"Good. Creativity. Quick thinking. Balance of melee and ranged combat. You are turning _**Yokazeryuu **_into your own style, just like I taught you. I'm glad."

Naruto blushed a bit at that. His right hand reached for the back of his head. "Heeh…thanks."

"Hinata. Your movements are perfect. Your _**Karyuu**_ will only improve by increasing your speed and learning the rest of the special techniques. You already know _**Kutsuu no Taiga**_, and I know you're well on your way to learning _**Karyuuzou**_. Just like I finished Naruto's instruction of _**Yokazeryuu**_, my instruction of _**Karyuu **_has concluded. Like I told Naruto, you know where the scrolls are."

"Ye-Yes." Hinata nodded, still a bit wobbly.

"Let us end this lesson, Naruto, Hinata." Saya's expression became serious. "You have shown me nothing but your very best. It would be disrespectful from my part not to do the same. Stand up!"

Hinata shook away Naruto's attempt at helping her get up. She was strong, damn it! She was supposed to be Naruto's support! She took a deep breath, and all traces of dizziness, tiredness and weakness disappeared. She took another breath and assumed a stance.

"Hina-chan…"

"Let's keep fighting, Naruto-kun."

It wasn't her words, but her smile that convinced him.

"You're enjoying this." It wasn't a question. Hinata shook her head slowly.

"I do not enjoy fighting, Naruto-kun. I enjoy fighting by your side."

Naruto blinked. "Heeh, you're funny, Hina-chan. Alright, let's do this."

Saya nodded approvingly when Naruto, too, assumed a stance. "Good. Watch closely, children. Pay attention. Watch, fight, learn, and be defeated."

Saya's right foot took a step forward, but the whole weight of her body went to the other foot. Both arms were in front of her body. The right arm was kept low at mid-thigh level, palm facing up. The left arm was at forehead level, palm facing down. Her eyes were closed.

"_**Houraisan no Fukyuu no Ryuu**_, First Stance: _**Ten no Soryuu, Chi no Genryuu**_."

"White Dragon of Heaven, Black Dragon of Earth." Gai muttered.

"This fight has just reached a new level of interesting." The Third Hokage declared.

"…don't bother, Mikoto-san." Shiki said bluntly. Two pairs of three black tomoe in a red background stared at him.

"Wha…?"

"_**Sharingan **_can't copy _**Fukyuu no Ryuu**_, and, since Hinata still has her _**Byakugan **_active, you are about to know why."

Hinata gasped. "Wha…what…?"

"What? What is it, Hina-chan?"

"Her chakra…it just disappeared!"

"Eh?"

"_**Byakugan **_is showing me nothing but black! Her chakra's gone!"

"Huh?"

Hiashi and Atsuko, who had never had the chance to witness _**Fukyuu no Ryuu**_ before, turned on their Bloodline Limit at once, confirming what Hinata had just said.

"Impossible…" The clan leader uttered; his face as close to utter disbelief as it would get…which was basically separating his lips a few millimeters.

"It's not impossible." Shiki said. He was smiling. "It's right in front of you."

"How…?"

Shiki rolled his eyes. "Do you really think I'm going to tell you?"

Hinata deactivated her _**Byakugan**_. "No point if I can't see a thing." She muttered to herself.

Saya opened her eyes. Gasping ensued.

"Wha…? Hina-chan, what's wrong?"

"Her eyes…they're glowing green."

Naruto nodded. "No point in trying to make something of it. Let's go fight and do our best."

"Ye-yes, Naruto-kun."

"Can you heat the air a little bit for me?"

"With pleasure."

_**Katon! Goukakyuu no Jutsu!**_

Saya didn't move an inch, allowing the huge fireball to swallow her whole. Naruto began the circular arm motions characteristic of the advanced _**Yokazeryuu **_techniques. Hinata dashed forward to fight Saya.

The fireball died, revealing the Taijutsu Mistress, who hadn't even broken her stance. Hinata's right hook was blocked by Saya's left arm. Her left kick was stopped by the back of Saya's right hand. Saya never ceased facing straight forward, not even when she tried to slam her left palm on Hinata's face. Hinata spun counterclockwise and moved to her right, allowing Saya's arm to pass by her left side. However, the offending arm swiftly lashed out with a wide sweeping arc, forcing Hinata to bend her body backwards a bit. Saya's right palm followed and Hinata crossed her arms in front of her body to block the thrust.

She screamed.

Everyone watched Hinata slump down on the grass, curling her body in fetal position as she clutched her arms close to her body while crying and moaning in pain.

"First rule of _**Fukyuu no Ryuu**_: you **do not** block _**Fukyuu no Ryuu**_. You dodge, or you suffer."

"What did she do?" Anko muttered. The Third shook his head.

"I never figured it out. Neither did my students. And Shiki here is not telling."

"No, I'm not."

"Damn it, Hina-chan…_**Hakke**_!"

Saya lightly tapped the ground with her right foot.

"_**Kyoufuushou**_!"

Thick tree roots emerged from the ground in front of her, standing between Saya and the raging winds.

"What is…?" Mikoto muttered. Shiki shook his head.

"Before you ask: no, it's not _**Mokuton**_."

"Don't waste your chakra, Naruto."

"Shit!" Naruto made the ram seal. "_**Mokusui Kanshou Rokakairo: Eiki wo ya shinau**_."

"Ah." Saya responded.

Tapping into the chakra stored in his _**magatama**_, Naruto restored his dwindling chakra reserves…just a little. _**Magatama **_make good chakra batteries, but Naruto's are fairly small and they've been modified to fulfill other purposes.

Saya looked down at Hinata. "Don't worry. It won't hurt that much from now on."

Planting a hand on the wall of tree roots, two more batches emerged. One was intent on entangling Naruto. The second grabbed Hinata's prone body and threw it away like a rag doll.

"Hina-chan!" Naruto hurried to catch his partner, but Saya was on him in an instant.

"You're fighting me, Naruto."

Her powerful punch made Naruto bend forward…and explode in a poof of smoke.

"_**Kawarimi**_ with a _**Kage Bunshin**_. When did you do it, boy?" She turned to Naruto, who carried Hinata's body in his arms.

"When you blocked my _**Kyoufuushou**_. I intended to hide and come up with another plan, but then you threw Hina-chan."

"I-I'm okay, now, Naruto-kun." She enjoyed the closeness of his embrace, but she had a fight to fight, after all.

"Ah, alright." He gently put her down. "What happened?"

"I…I do not understand. It was…like a thousand needles piercing my skin. It was very painful. You cannot let her touch you, Naruto-kun."

"Easier said than done. Can you still fight?"

"Definitely. Other than the pain, I do not feel unwell. There are no wounds, just pain, and it's almost gone."

"Are you going to keep chatting or are you going to come?"

Naruto's settled his hands on his hips. "We're going to **fight**! And we're going to **kick ass!**"

"Bring it on, then."

Naruto lifted two kunai from the ground and threw them at Saya, who dodged them effortlessly. When they stopped in midair and changed directions to strike again, she knew what she was going to deal with.

"Back to back, Hina-chan!" Naruto shouted before jumping into the fray.

"Yes!" Hinata followed, reactivating her _**Byakugan**_ and wrapping her arms with flames.

Saya's left palm stopped Naruto's straight right punch, but a flying kunai intent on impaling her hand stopped her from grabbing Naruto's fist. Naruto lowered the fist and crouched to deliver a left palm thrust to Saya's abdomen, but the arm was swatted away by Saya's right hand. Naruto then attempted a low kick at Saya's right ankle, which the woman avoided by taking a step back. She had to lower her body a bit to dodge a kunai. Saya retaliated with a right low roundhouse to Naruto's left side. Naruto used a chakra-aided jump to make a vertical frog leap above the incoming kick. Saya's right hand swatted away an incoming kunai. At the same time, Hinata, who had stayed with her back to the fight this whole time, suddenly spun around and crouched under Saya's kick to try a low sweeping kick at her sensei's pivot leg. Her attempt was stopped by the sudden emergence of a small tree root that got in the way, allowing Saya to stand on both feet again, only to sway her body on the same place to dodge the two insistent kunai.

Hinata quickly got up and went for a left thrust aimed at Saya's right breast. Naruto landed right behind Hinata and turned his back to the two ladies. Saya's right palm stopped Hinata's blazing thrust and then she responded with a left thrust of her own, aiming at Hinata's face. The Hyuuga heiress tilted her head to the right, allowing Saya's hand to pass by harmlessly. Saya leaned her body a bit to the left to let a kunai pass by her right side. Hinata's right hand got a hold of Saya's left arm, allowing her to spin counterclockwise to make a sweeping arc with the side of her left hand. However, Saya's right hand stopped it again by grabbing the forearm. The double hold didn't last long, because Saya had to jump away from the two remotely-controlled kunai.

Hinata spun to the right, moving out of Naruto's path to the woman who adopted him. The two kunai attacked first, but Saya sidestepped them. She turned her head away from the incoming Naruto, following the flying kunai with her eyes. Naruto slammed is left foot on the ground struck with a low left hand thrust. Saya's right hand caught his arm.

"Wha? How-"

Saya suddenly pulled up, lifting Naruto's weight effortlessly with a single hand. She quickly let go and lowered the hand to his stomach.

"_**Furyuushou**_."

Naruto was blown away and Saya quickly focused on dodging the two incoming projectiles. Hinata dashed under the airborne Naruto and took his place in the melee.

"_**Ryoutotsugeki**_!"

Saya had to go into full defense mode to deal with the rapid succession of vertical sweeping arcs and the endless kunai assault. When Hinata was done she was facing right, so she went for a double frontal thrust which Saya sidestepped to her right. Saya seized the chance to try and bury her left fist on Hinata's left side (ducking her way away from the flying kunai in the process), but the shorter girl spun away like a ballerina. Hinata tried to counter with a karate chop to the back of Saya's neck, but Saya blocked with her left arm, her right arm releasing a weak burst of wind to blow the incoming kunai away from her face. Saya then went for a low blow at Hinata's solar plexus, but it became Hinata's turn to sidestep to her right. At this point, their positions had been switched, and it was now Saya who had her back to Naruto, who had safely landed on both feet and was moving back to the fight.

Saya jumped to her right to get away from a pincer attack. Naruto changed direction and went after her, Hinata close behind.

"_**Kage Bunshin no Jutsu**_." Naruto created a single clone, which leapt above Saya and unsealed a paper strip. Saya had to jump to the side to get away from the rain of kunai from above. The real Naruto went for a flying roundhouse kick. The clone landed. Saya's left arm stopped the incoming kick, leaving Naruto wide open and in midair, with little chance of dodging anything. However, Saya couldn't seize this chance.

"_**Furyuushou**_!"

Saya was forced to leap and flip to her right again, this time to get out of the way of the Naruto clone's Wind Dragon Palm that struck from under the real Naruto. The clone leapt away and hid in the forest. Naruto and Hinata switched roles one again, and it became the Hyuuga's turn to face the Taijutsu Mistress. Naruto began to gather the air around him, secretly pleased that, by the single act of keeping her arms wrapped in flames, Hinata was aiding him.

Saya noticed her back was less than a yard away from a tree at around the same time Hinata jumped into the fray. Her right first was stopped and seized by Saya's right hand, and Hinata responded by using her free left hand to grab Saya's forearm. Saya used her free right hand to attempt to punch Hinata's head but the girl jumped up, still holding Saya's arm, to attempt a right thrusting kick to her sensei's face. Saya's left fist missed Hinata's face by less than an inch. She also ducked and Hinata slammed her foot on the tree behind, causing it to catch flame.

"Oh, Ayaka-sama's not going to like that…" Sarutobi muttered to himself.

Hinata released her hold on Saya's left arm and used the tree trunk as support to push herself backwards and away from Saya. Naruto was advancing towards their common opponent. Hinata, her body horizontal to the ground, intruded her feet in the space between Saya's arms.

_What the-_

Hinata spread her legs, forcing Saya's arms apart. When Naruto dashed under Hinata's body, Saya realized she had been had. She learned back, allowing her head to lean on the tree in flames.

"_**Hakke**_…_**Kyoufuu**_-"

The roots of the tree behind Saya suddenly uprooted by themselves and slammed Naruto's torso like a rather nasty whip. The stunned Naruto stumbled back a few steps. Hinata landed on her hands and quickly corrected herself, but it was too late.

Saya poked Naruto's chest with the fingers of her right arm, and Naruto experienced the thousand needles Hinata had mentioned. To his credit, he only gasped rather loudly instead of outright screaming in pain. Saya struck again, gently sliding the tip of her left hand across Naruto's body, and he was invaded by terrible piercing pain all the way from his right side and upwards to his hand. Her right hand traveled across his chest from right to left, and Naruto doubled in pain the moment her fingers touched the skin over his heart. Finally, Saya gently placed both her palms on Naruto's bare chest.

"It's over. _**Hakurou Tenbu**_."

A wave of green energy that reminded those in the know of medical ninja flowed out of Saya's hands and engulfed Naruto until it became a brilliant sphere that devoured him and concealed him from view.

Naruto screamed.

"Naruto-nii-chan!"

"Naruto!"

Naruto's ears never caught Hanabi's and Tenten's cries. There was only pain. Not even the assault that led to his perpetual blindness had accomplished such an effect, which was the point of the technique in the first place. Naruto's brain disconnected itself from the world. There was only pain; millions of needles probing every single point of his skin and reaching further: his lungs, his heart, his kidneys, his spleen, his legs, his testes, his brain…

There was only pain.

He kept screaming long after his lungs emptied themselves of air; a soundless cry that reflected unbelievable agony. A second became a lifetime…and it was over.

Naruto hit the ground like a lifeless puppet; his mouth open and drool escaping unhindered.

"NARUTO-KUN!"

Hinata was the living image of sheer terror. Tears streamed out of her eyes. She fell on her knees and crawled to his side.

"Naruto-kun! Naruto-kun!" She gently pulled his right arm, but his only response was a weak groan. With a stricken face and a gritted jaw she looked up at the author of Naruto's fall.

"Naruto is out. This fight is over."

"I'll kill you."

Saya barely managed to follow Hinata. In an instant, the girl lunged at her and drew the right _**hachiwara**_ in a deadly arc aimed at severing Saya's head off her shoulders. She felt the tip of the weapon caress her neck as she stepped back.

"I'LL KILL YOU!" Hinata's battle cry startled the audience.

There was no stopping the girl. Her left fist went for Saya's face. Even if her reach wasn't enough, the air around her fist ignited and swallowed Saya in a fiery conflagration.

Saya calmly stepped back and away from the flames. "Hinata, don't force me-"

"DIE!"

Saya's right arm blocked the flying knee kick aimed at her face. Hinata tried to smash her sensei's face with both her fists, but Saya's left hand struck the underside of her jaw, smashing her teeth together and making her head ring.

"Imbecile. _**Houraisan Garyuu**_."

Saya clenched her right hand like a claw, coated in the same mysterious green aura. Hinata gasped loudly when Saya struck her torso, feeling that horrible energy invading her body and tearing apart from the inside. As if in slow motion, she felt her body react to the force of the blow, but, instead of being pushed by Saya's hand, she felt as if the air behind pulled her backwards and away from Saya's offending limb. Time suddenly began to flow normally for Hinata, and she flew away like a human missile, making a sickening crunch when her back impacted the nearest tree.

Saya watched the Hyuuga heiress' body collapse under the inevitable force of gravity. She sighed.

"It didn't have to end like this, Hinata."

She turned to her paralyzed audience. "They won't get up for a while."

Shiki wordlessly raised a hand and pointed. Saya followed the finger.

She blinked.

Slamming her right hand on the ground, Hinata struggled to get up. Blood poured freely out of her mouth and nose, but her face remained fierce and defiant. Her muscles complained and shivered, but that didn't stop her. She added the strength of her left arm and managed to get up to a sitting position, keeping her hands on the ground for support. She was panting heavily. Slowly, very slowly, she tried to stand up.

"That's enough, Hinata." Saya insisted. "Naruto's out. It's over."

Hinata chuckled, or at least tried to. What came out was a disgusting spurt of blood, drool and bile.

It wasn't about the fight anymore. Her Naruto-kun had suffered horribly. His cry of agony had wrenched her fragile heart. Someone had to pay.

"I won't…I can still…I must-"

"That's enough, Hina-chan."

Tenten gasped.

Saya turned around to look at her son, who had managed to get on his knees and was slowly working his way up. While his body looked unharmed, as _**Hakurou Tenbu **_leaves no wounds, Saya knew Naruto was struggling to remain conscious. It was just that painful.

"Thank you, Hina-chan, but…that's enough. You can go over there and rest. You've been awesome." He chuckled faintly.

"Listen to him, Hinata. We're done. Now let me heal the two of you."

"Who said…who said we're done…Saya-kaa-chan?"

"Eh?"

Naruto grinned, but it came out half-heartedly. "Hina-chan's…done…I'm not."

"Idiot." Sasuke hissed.

"Naruto!" Tenten cried. "Don't be foolish! That's enough!" Her voice dropped to a tiny whisper. "You've done enough…"

"Really, you've done enough, Naruto." The Third Hokage insisted. "You have impressed us plenty enough today."

"No."

Naruto's voice left no room for discussion.

"I still…want to…a little bit more…so Hina-chan…sit down."

"No!" Hinata complain, almost in tears. "I can still fight! I can still help you! I can-"

"I know you can! I just don't want you to. Just sit down, Hina-chan."

"But I still can-"

"Hinata!"

She gasped at the demanding tone.

"…please."

Hinata stared at Naruto, then at Saya, then back at Naruto. She took a deep breath.

"…I understand."

Saying nothing more, she walked over to the corner with Hanabi and the others. A rather miffed Saya turned to scowl at her child.

"Naruto, there's a fine line between bravery and foolishness. Stop this idiocy at once!"

"Nuh-uh."

"Naruto, you can barely stand! I'm sure you can't even lift your arm to punch me!"

"And you would be right." Naruto seemed rather amused by the whole thing, adding to Saya's annoyance.

"Naruto!"

"Don't worry, don't worry…" Naruto offered her a little smile. "…I don't intend to move a step."

He took a deep breath, lowered his head and slowly, gently, released the air in his lungs. He looked awfully calm after that.

"Waa…Saya-kaa-chan…you're really, really strong. Your Taijutsu is just crazy…we haven't really touched you at all, huh? And you hit us once and it's, like, instant KO. It's really awesome…and painful. Very painful." Naruto chuckled weakly.

"But, you know…I just…I just can't give up. I just can't. Even if it's just a practice fight, even if there's nothing at stake…I just want to fight, and fight, and fight, and fall, and keep fighting…"

"It's just…I don't know…when I fight…I feel really happy. I feel like I can do anything. That's why…that's why…my spirit will not be broken."

He slowly (even the simple act of moving his arms made him wince) clasped his hands into the Ram seal.

"Nee, Saya-kaa-chan, I have a question."

Saya raised an eyebrow.

"Remember all those Shadow Clones I made to protect Hina-chan?"

Something clicked in Saya's mind. Naruto grinned.

"What do you think they've been doing all this time?"

And the world became a maelstrom of steel.

Kunai flew from the forest and towards the clearing, from every direction and in every direction, dancing a random dance, making sharp twists and turns, fulfilling no purpose other than just being there.

Every single kunai had a paper strip hanging from its tip, like cute little paper tails. Naruto's grin became almost deranged. Almost.

"My **mind** is the greatest weapon!" Naruto shouted to the heavens. "That's what **my Father** taught me!"

All the kunai pointed at Saya, who suddenly found herself dancing alongside the weapons, dodging like she hadn't dodged in a very long time.

"My **will **is the absolute defense! That's what **Itachi** taught me!"

Mikoto and Sasuke held their breath.

Saya quickly drew a pair of kunai to both parry and dodge. A blade nicked her left forearm. Another grazed her left thigh.

"My **hands **are the instruments of **my future**! That's what **life has taught me**!"

"Naruto…" Sarutobi whispered bitterly. _You have suffered too much for someone so young…and now that you've become a shinobi…_

"Naruto…" Tenten whispered longingly. "Please, stop…"

"**Never **hesitate! **Always **give it my all! That's what **YOU** taught me, **Mother**!"

Releasing a gust of wind from all her _**tenketsu**_, Saya blew the kunai away…for all of three seconds. "Naruto!" Her voice came out almost like a whisper. She glanced at her son.

He was smiling. Gently. Softly. Lovingly.

It reminded her of herself.

"A smile is truly wonderful when you have someone to share it with…that's what Hana-chan taught me."

Hanabi clutched a fistful of grass with her tiny hands. _You can do it, Naruto-nii-chan…_

"Naruto-kun…" Atsuko whispered. _That boy…_

"Is he trying to…?" Shiki muttered to himself, after managing to read the symbols on the paper strips. _If he pulls it off…he'll be ready for the next level._

"This is the jutsu Hana-chan and I made up together. It is made of smiles, hugs, laughter and awesome."

Naruto closed his eyes and projected his chakra and his will to the paper tags attached to the dozens of kunai. His clones couldn't help him; they would be more of a hindrance than an aid.

He had never been able to pull it off before. It was just too difficult to trigger so many seals simultaneously. All his other multi-seal techniques relied on single time-triggers to activate. With _**Hikarakuyou**_, for example, the user only has to trigger the first tag. All the others trigger by themselves; a chain reaction. Same with _**Hourai no Hana**_. He couldn't do that with this jutsu. He had to personally trigger all the seals **at the same time**.

But he **knew** he would do it this time. He just couldn't conceive the possibility of failing. I want to do it; I know I'll do it, so I'll do it. As simple as that.

The kunai went back to their random pattern, swirling around Saya and preventing her from getting close to Naruto.

"My jutsu. Hana-chan's jutsu. **Our **jutsu. Her idea has become my reality. The celebration of our friendship!"

"WATCH IT AND SHARE OUR HAPPINESS!"

All the paper tags glowed together. Saya's eyes widened in alarm. _Exploding tags? No!_

There was no smoke involved in the unsealing. Naruto had designed the jutsu that way. No accursed smoke would ruin the beauty of Hana-chan's and his jutsu.

All the kunai froze in their current positions. From every single paper strip, eight more emerged, in eight equidistant directions.

Just like fireworks.

"_**Fuuinjutsu**_."

The newly-appeared papers began to glow, too.

The "Oh Shi-" look on Saya's face was priceless.

Naruto smiled.

_I did it, Hana-chan!_

"_**Hanabi no Naruto**_."

At the same time the air around Saya became a sea of explosions, Naruto let the alluring call of unconsciousness claim him.

* * *

The first thing Naruto felt when he woke up was the soft but slightly itchy feel of the grass on his back. The next thing he felt was a hard but comfortable feeling on the back of his head. The third and last thing he felt was the warmth of a pair of hands on his cheeks.

"Umm…hey…?"

"Ah, Naruto. You're awake."

Naruto smiled, albeit weakly. "Ten-chan…yo."

Tenten smiled back, full of warmth and affection. "Yo."

"So…did I win?"

The older girl chuckled softly. She was keeping her voice low. They were relatively alone, and she didn't feel like sharing Naruto with anyone yet.

"Of course not."

"Bummer."

"But you got your mother good. She actually had to heal herself. The funny thing is that her clothes fared much better. That's a really strong cheongsam."

"I think she strengthened it with…was it Earth chakra? I think." Naruto pouted. "Just how did she dodge all those explosions anyway?"

"She didn't. She took them all and used reinforcement techniques to minimize the damage."

"Ah. Cool. That's an Earth specialist for you."

"Right."

Tenten began to trace Naruto's whisker marks with her thumbs. Her smile was serene and peaceful.

"You got me really worried out there, Naruto."

"I know. But I just-"

"Don't say it. I understand. You had been setting up that jutsu for a while, huh? You just wanted to use it."

Naruto nodded…and winced. "I wanted to pull it off…for myself…and for Hana-chan, I guess."

Tenten's smile widened a bit. "You really like that little girl, don't you?"

"She's my precious student…and my best friend. She is…" Naruto ran out of words, so he just shrugged…and winced again. "Damn, everything hurts."

"Saya-sama said you didn't really need any healing, 'cause her technique doesn't really harm you…it just hurts like hell."

Of course, everyone could tell there was more to it than just sheer pain (it just couldn't be that simple), but the Houraisan couple wouldn't explain.

"Ah, I guess it will go away in a while."

"Naruto, do you like me?"

"Huh?" He didn't really understand, but his face flushed a bit just by itself.

"Like you like Hanabi-chan, I mean."

"Well, you are my precious student, too…"

Tenten blushed.

"…and my precious friend. The awesome Ten-chan."

"Just not your best friend."

Naruto shrugged again…and winced again. Tenten lowered her hands to his shoulders and began an experimental massage. She didn't really know how to do it, so she was basically grasping at straws.

"If it were up to me everyone would be my best friend…but I guess it doesn't work like that, huh?"

"No, it doesn't."

"Yeah. So, I have to choose, and I choose Hana-chan. I've spend more time with her than with anyone else, so I guess it's obvious we're, well, closer. Next would be Hina-chan, and then you and the bastard. Ah, that feels kinda good."

"Really?" Tenten felt awfully pleased by this and continued with less hesitation. Besides, there was also the tingle she felt when caressing Naruto's shoulders and chest.

"You are my best friend, Naruto."

"Really…" He smiled. It was, indeed, a smile full of happiness. "I'm glad."

"You are the person closest to my heart." She blurted out before she could stop herself. She didn't regret it, though. It felt right to say it.

Naruto blinked. It was an awkward way to put it, but it felt…nice. "You…you're very important to me, too, Ten-chan."

"I know."

Then why did she feel a bit sad?

She decided to change the topic. There was a **very good **topic in her mind, in fact.

"Nee, Naruto…" Her roaming hands were getting bolder and bolder. At this point she was shamelessly touching Naruto's upper body all over. Naruto, awfully oblivious and awfully kind as he is, allowed her to do as she wished. It did feel kinda good, after all…and his hormones had yet to awaken.

"Hmm?"

"That jutsu…it was **really good**." Tenten's eyes gleamed. She licked her lips ravenously. Because of her roaming hands or because of remembering the explosions, we'll never know.

"Well, of course. It's my most awesome jutsu."

The Genin girl lowered her head to get closer to Naruto's face. Her hands stopped and rested on Naruto's pectorals.

"Can you teach me?" She whispered. Had anyone **but** Naruto heard, they would have found her tone lustful.

"Nuh-uh. Sorry, but this jutsu is special."

Tenten sighed, blowing her breath on Naruto's face. "I guessed as much."

"_**Sanhou Danmaku **_is a family jutsu, so that one's a no, either. Other than those two, I can teach you anything you want."

Tenten's eyes widened deliriously. "Anything?" She whispered in the same hungry tone. Naruto nodded.

"Anything."

Tenten squirmed. Naruto had dropped his tone as if wanting to keep up with her. The way he had said it stirred butterflies in her stomach. She had to bit her lip to stop herself from voicing that pleasant feeling. What the hell was **that**? She thought.

"Naruto…"

"Hmm?" Naruto was feeling awfully sleepy. He didn't want to, but it was just so hard… "What is it, Ten-chan?" His lips felt awfully dry. He licked them.

Tenten skipped a beat. She found herself inevitably drawn to his lips. His moist lips, slightly ajar…

"Oi! Bun-Bun-chan! Nothing from the brat?"

Tenten growled under her breath.

"Ah, Anko-chan!"

Naruto's call drew everyone's attention.

"Naruto-nii-chan!"

Hanabi was the first to reach him. She kneeled by his left.

"Ah, Hana-chan."

"You did it, Naruto-nii-chan." There was a huge grin on the little Hyuuga's face. Naruto couldn't see it, but he returned it nonetheless.

"Well of course. Because I'm awesome."

"Hmm!" Hanabi nodded. "The most awesome ninja ever!"

"Damn straight. Now wait a second…"

He slowly began a sequence of hand seals, only to stop halfway. "Damn. Not enough chakra for _**Senrigan **_yet. Stupid jutsu takes so much chakra…"

"Oi, dobe."

Naruto grinned. "Ah, teme. Did you like my awesome fight?"

Sasuke hmph'ed, but managed a smile. "Not bad…but our fight was better."

"All my fights are equally awesome, for they are as awesome as anything can be." Naruto declared. "It's my Theorem of Absolute Win. Not that you know what a theorem is, anyway."

"Bastard."

"Duck-butt."

"Idiot."

"Pretty-boy."

"Alright that's enough, you two." Saya interrupted. She was standing behind Hanabi, looking down at Naruto.

"Ah, okaa-chan. You okay?"

Saya sighed. _This boy…_ "I'm fine, Naruto, thank you for asking."

"Tch! So I didn't leave any lingering damage, not even a little? A nasty scar or something-ow! You kicked me!"

"Jerk."

"Oi, little idiot."

"Anko."

"Man, you seriously got your ass kicked. It was pretty cool, but I could have done better."

Naruto rolled his mediums. "As if. Saya-kaa-chan can totally kick your ass."

"I'm not saying she can't. I'm just saying I wouldn't have taken such a beating."

"I guess. You're a Jounin, after all."

"I'm not a Jounin and you know it." Anko's smile dropped.

"Well you should."

Anko grinned. "True, but I'm still not having sex with you."

"ANKO!" Saya shrieked. Naruto chuckled, but then he noticed an unusual absentee.

"Hina-chan?"

"She's here, Naruto-sama." Atsuko's voice reached him from somewhere to his right. Just like Naruto's head was on Tenten's lap, Hinata's was on Atsuko's. Hiashi was seated by her side, watching everything with his usual stern face.

"Naruto-kun…" Her voice was weak and tired. "…I…I'm here. Are you really okay?"

"She took more hits than you, Naruto." Saya explained. "And she took a _**Garyuu**_, which is even worse than _**Hakurou Tenbu**_. I'm surprised she walked all the way to her seat when you told her to."

Hinata rolled her eyes. Of course she did it. Naruto-kun ordered. She obeyed. She would have crawled if she had needed to.

"I had to use medical jutsu to repair her face and the internal damage from _**Garyuu**_. She needs a lot of rest now."

Naruto nodded. "Hina-chan?"

"Umm?"

"I said it before, but, thank you. You were really fantastic out there."

Hinata smiled blissfully and closed her eyes. Naruto-kun praised her. She had done well. All was right with the world.

"Where's Father?"

Saya smiled. Naruto had abandoned the usual "Shiki-sensei," it seemed. "After putting out the fire Hinata created, he left with the Sandaime. He should be back soon. He wanted me to tell you he is very pleased with your latest jutsu."

Naruto chuckled. "Like I said: Hana-chan's idea."

"Then maybe Shiki should teach her _**Fuuinjutsu**_, too."

"No way!" Hanabi immediately intervened. "Naruto-nii-chan's my sensei!"

"Not anymore, Hana-chan. Besides, you have your own style. I have mine."

"Fair enough." Saya declared. She was about to open her mouth again when…

"YOSH!"

Communal wincing ensued.

"We have seen three fantastic fights today! Full of power, emotion and blazing youthfulness! Houraisan Naruto-san and friends! You have proven to be worthy of a place in Konoha's shinobi ranks! Feel proud of yourselves!"

"Even me?" Hanabi pondered.

"You're not getting a headband any time soon, little one." Saya immediately put down the idea.

"Aww, shucks."

"These wonderful children have IGNITED MY SOUL! I must know put this blazing energy to good use! My wondrous azure beast, Lee!"

"YES, GAI-SENSEI!"

"My beautiful lotus blossom, Tenten!"

The aforementioned girl groaned. _Disgusting… _"Haaaai." She uttered blandly.

"We shall prove we are full of spirit like these fantastic young buds of Konoha! For that reason, tomorrow we shall take our first C-rank mission!"

Now that got them running.

"Yes, Gai-sensei!"

"A C-rank! About damn time! Alright, now we're talking!"

"That's great, Ten-chan."

Tenten looked back down at the boy on her lap. "It is! A C-rank mission!" She gasped. "Oh Kami, I have to get ready! Prepare all the equipment, and the weapons, and-"

Naruto stopped her with a finger on her lips. Her face reacted in the expect way.

"Calm down, Ten-chan. Leave it to me."

"Clones! Report for duty!"

A small army of Shadow Clones emerged from the foliage.

"These guys are still around?" Anko muttered. Naruto grinned.

"Clones! How are we on chakra?"

"Enough to keep _**Senrigan**_ at low-range for a couple of hours, sir!" The clones went along with the game and responded as one.

"Good! Then get to work! You know what I want! Make sure to make the best equipment for our dear Ten-chan!"

Tenten couldn't get any redder.

"Yessir! Off we go!" And the clones disappeared ninja-style.

"Na-Naruto! You don't have to!"

"And when has that stopped me before?"

Anko's unconcealed chuckling didn't help poor blushing Tenten in the slightest.

"Oi, teme!"

"What!" _You rotten bastard who gets all the girls worth looking at._

"Be a man and help me get up!"

"Oh stuff it." Sasuke muttered angrily, but did help Naruto slowly stand up. Saya clapped thrice to get everyone's attention.

"Alright, everyone, the Open Combat Exam is now over! I'd say Naruto here has passed with flying colors. Would you agree with me?"

She got nothing but "not funny" looks.

"Okay, I guessed this deserves a celebration! Who's staying for dinner?"

"Me! Me!" Hanabi raised her hand excitedly. Atsuki giggled at the little girl's antics. Hiashi only raised an eyebrow. Saya looked at the Hyuuga Leader.

"Yes, we gladly accept your invitation, Houraisan-sama. Is that right, Hiashi-sama?" Atsuko turned to her liege, never removing the demure smile from her face. Hiashi shot an odd look at the attendant.

"…yes…yes, we shall."

Saya turned to the one who had remained silent throughout the whole deal. "Uchiha-san?"

"If it's not much of a bother, we will humble accept your kind offer." Mikoto bowed respectfully. Saya nodded curtly. "Anko?"

"You betcha! Will there be booze?" Naruto chuckled. Saya rolled her eyes.

"Gai-kun?"

"Eh? Ah! Thank you very much, sensei. I shall."

"Lee-kun?"

"Uh?" Lee dropped his face a bit. "If…If it's alright…I'd be grateful." He bowed. Saya nodded and smiled at the boy.

"Tenten-chan?"

"She has to!"

"And why would that be, Naruto?"

"Because I say so."

She didn't blush as much this time, but still gave the boy an affectionate smile. "Well, in that case….but I still have to tell mom and dad."

"Fair enough. I'll assume Sarutobi-kun will come back. Alright, it's time for some serious cooking! Any ideas for the main dish?"

Had Naruto possessed eyes, they would have brightened. "Ra-"

* * *

"-men?"

Kohaku shot an odd look at the dangerous S-rank nin. He was dropping the bags of groceries on the large Akatsuki dining table. Tobi did the same. Little Nana, who was given the critical task of "Pocky Carrier," dropped the ridiculously large (but light) bag of the popular snack on the rocky floor.

"Itachi, I'm not making **ramen** for dinner. I said I am in the mood to make something special tonight! **Ramen **is **not** special!"

"It is to me." Itachi stated flatly.

Kohaku raised an eyebrow. She could tell Itachi had just revealed something important about himself. She just couldn't figure out exactly **what**.

"Whatever. I'm not making ramen, period. But I do feel like making dessert. Any ideas for that, Itachi-kun? And please oh please don't say-"

"Po-"

* * *

"-cky!"

Sasuke shuddered for no apparent reason. Saya groaned.

"Naruto, I'm not offering Pocky to my guests for dessert!"

"Why not? It's awesome."

"Humm!" Hanabi nodded eagerly. She had, of course, been properly indoctrinated into the Cult of Pocky and Ramen.

"Ah, just forget it. Why did I even think of asking in the first place?"

With that, Saya walked away and back to the main house, leaving everyone else to their own devices. Atsuko helped Hinata get up and slowly the two went after Saya: Atsuko insisted Hinata needed a proper place to rest for a while longer. Naruto began to make hand seals.

"Alright! _**Fuuton: Fuujin Senrigan no Jutsu**_."

With his perception jutsu properly set up, he looked for his dearest friend. _I'll have to keep it low-range for a while._

"Hana-chan."

"Hai?"

"Run!"

Every watched Naruto grab Hanabi's right hand and dash away and into the sea of trees until they disappeared.

* * *

"Haa…I shouldn't have done that." Naruto voiced his discomfort as he slumped down against a tree. His legs, still a bit wobbly from _**Hakurou Tenbu**_, were complaining rather loudly to his sudden escape with the youngest of the Hyuuga sisters. "Sit down, Hana-chan." He called for the girl, patting the grass to his left.

Hanabi fell on his lap, her chest to his chest. Looking down at her, he only got a big grin in return. Naruto rolled his mediums. However, he also wrapped his arms around her, clasping his hands together on her lap. Hanabi leaned back and pressed herself against him, getting comfortable.

They stayed like that for a while; Hanabi enjoying the comfort, Naruto figuring out exactly what he wanted to say. Eventually, he just went for it the way he usually did.

"Hana-chan…we…we've had a blast together, haven't we?"

"Yup."

"It's hard to believe it's over."

He felt her body react to the words. "I don't wanna."

"I know. I'm going to miss you a lot."

"Then why-"

"Because your father is right, Hana-chan. I…I won't be able to spend much time with you anymore. With missions and training and…whatever else ninja do…it just won't be the same."

"But you are still my precious friend. You will always be. That will never change. Now we'll just have to make up for it whenever we actually get chances to be together."

It felt weird being the voice of reason in that relationship. Naruto guessed it was part of being the responsible "nii-chan."

"But, what am I going to now, Naruto-nii-chan? I…I don't…"

Naruto rested his head on the crown of Hanabi's. "You must make your own way."

"Until now I've been your sensei. Now you must go on your own. You're my best friend, but you are also Hyuuga Hanabi. Now it's up to you to become the person you want to be…just like Hina-chan. Become someone you can feel proud to be."

"I don't have any more friends. Because I'm Hyuuga."

"That didn't stop me." Naruto chuckled. "So maybe you will find someone else who doesn't give a damn about Hyuuga. If you don't, well, that would suck, but, well…I'm always here."

"We'll find a way. To keep in touch even if we can't play together anymore. I promise."

Hanabi nodded. If Naruto promised, then it would happen.

A long yawn from Naruto made the small girl giggled. "Damn…" Naruto muttered. "Saya-kaa-chan really got me good. I'm so tired…I guess…we can stay here and rest…just for a little while…"

Hanabi didn't say a word. She just closed her eyes and fully pressed herself against him, finding solace and comfort in his embrace. Yes, it would be okay. If Naruto said so, she believed.

* * *

He didn't really know it, but the fact Saya requested Hinata's assistance in the kitchen (they were cooking for a lot of people) was probably the only reason Naruto actually managed to take Tenten to his bedroom without problems.

"Aaah…" Tenten sighed contently as she slumped down on Naruto's bed. The boy stood by his desk, placing his newest scroll on its surface and taking a look at the other things there, which Tenten couldn't see from her position.

"Have I told you I love this bed of yours?" Tenten commented, using her body to make the bed bounce a little. "Hehe, so comfy…"

"Umm, I think you said that last time, yeah." Naruto uttered as he walked towards the closet. Tenten made herself comfortable, lying face down across the bed and resting her chin on her hands. Her legs swung up and down playfully. Naruto picked a blank white t-shirt to cover himself.

"Aw, boo." Tenten mock-complained. Naruto grinned at her jab, but he couldn't hide the slight redness on his cheeks. Tenten chuckled at that, but she went back to the original topic in her mind.

"So, what did you bring me here so hurriedly, Naruto? I'm not easy, you know."

"Oh stuff it." Naruto retorted, the harshness of his words dismissed by the teasing grin on his face. "You know all those _**Kage Bunshin**_ I sent away when Gai-san said you guys are going on your first C-rank tomorrow?"

Tenten nodded.

"Well, I guess you have no problem getting kunai and stuff, so…" Naruto scratched the back of his head. "…well…you kinda like the tricks I showed today, so I thought I would give you some stuff to take with ya."

The swing of Tenten's legs ceased as her eyes widened a little bit. "Na-Naruto-"

Whatever she intended to say was drowned by Naruto showing her a stack of exploding tags. With a swift motion, he jumped on the bed and sat cross-legged to Tenten's right. The girl assumed an identical posture in front of him.

"The clones made two dozen tags. Half of them are standard, pretty much the stuff you can buy at a store." He split the stack into two and put the top half aside. "These six…instant trigger."

Tenten barely suppressed a gasp and took the tags from Naruto's hands almost reverentially. By "instant trigger," Naruto referred to the absence of the usual "sizzing" time that preceded a tag's explosion. These tags explode the moment their owner wills them to. They are also known as "rapid action" tags.

"These four are toughies to make; that's why there aren't more: instant trigger, delayed blast tags. Three seconds."

While delayed blast tags are pretty much useless in combat, they are excellent in sabotage mission or even to create a distraction.

"And these two…" Naruto's grin widened. "…are high power tags. They can take a lot of chakra, so be careful, Ten-chan. I guess you can tell the tags from the different seals, but I also put some color marks on the back just in case. You can also use those tags to try and figure out how to make them." He had an encouraging smile on his face.

"The clones are still at sensei's lab working on the liquid fire and some other stuff. Maybe later I can teach how to make those things…if you're interested…that is."

Tenten, who had remained silent the whole time, looked up at Naruto with a face he would have been unable to read, had he been able to see it.

"Umm…Ten-chan?" Uncertainty was clear in Naruto's voice. "Is-Is there something you don't li-"

The feel of lips on his right cheek stopped any words coming out of Naruto's mouth. Like a velvety caress, Tenten's soft lips grazed Naruto's skin for a second, before moving away. Still, her face remained close to his, entirely blocking his line of sight…had he possessed a regular line of sight on the first place.

"I love it. Everything. Thanks a lot, Naruto."

"Uh…ah…eh…you…" Naruto tried to hide his embarrassment with his trademark silly grin, with little success. "…you're welcome…I guess…haha."

Tenten's smile was gentle and full of affection. In front of her was her first true friend. They had met more than five years before. After that initial meeting, he disappeared from her life for over a year and a half. She didn't stay angry at him for long. His eagerness to please was almost heartbreaking, as if the slightest mistake from his part would make her hate him. It took her a while to get him to feel truly comfortable with her. She was sure Naruto hadn't suffered that problem with Sasuke or Hinata, and she wondered why.

In any case, Naruto was her one true friend. She could feel the honesty in his every word, and she knew he wasn't one to speak ill of her behind her back. He didn't care that she was not "girly" enough; heck, he liked her just the way she was! He honestly enjoyed her company and enjoyed teaching her things, and she didn't feel strange learning from a boy a year her junior. He made her laugh and she never enjoyed herself nearly as much as when she was hanging out with Naruto.

"You're too nice, Naruto." Her voice was soft and velvety, like her kiss. "You're too great."

She held him, her arms wrapped around his back and her head resting on his left shoulder. She held him, and she smiled. And Naruto smiled, too. It wasn't everyday he was hugged by someone other than his mother, Hanabi, and the nice Hyuuga ladies. There was something…comforting in the weight of Tenten's head on his shoulder and the seeping warmth of her hands on his back.

His own hands reached for her sides and Tenten hummed in response, gently pushing with her hands to pull herself closer. Naruto caught the hint and moved his hands with more confidence to her lower back, pushing her closer. The girl allowed herself to be pushed, leaning more to her right so that their legs wouldn't collide. A slumbering portion of her self was awakening, suggesting her to experience the feel of her body pressed against his…

"Oi, dobe." Sasuke opened his mouth before the door was fully opened. "Your mom says dinner is…"

Their bodies becoming awfully tense at the same time, both Tenten and Naruto turn their heads to look at the Uchiha under the doorframe. Naruto didn't really need to, but he still did it out of reflex. Sasuke had his best "I'd rather be anywhere else but here" face. Naruto was simply stunned. As usual, his expression was rather hard to read. But the look on Tenten's face was just freaking Sasuke out. She seemed to be switching between Patented-Hinata-Brand-Embarrassed-Blushing-Face and SASUKE-MUST-DIE-Face.

Sasuke looked at Naruto one more time, seized control of the anger, frustration and righteous jealously that threatened to take over him, reduced it to a tiny little ball and shoved it somewhere it wouldn't hurt anyone (namely himself).

Hopefully his appendix.

"Dinner's ready, _Jerk! Bastard! _Dobe."

Closing the door behind him, Sasuke walked away.

Three or so minutes later, a slightly flustered Tenten and a completely tranquil Naruto followed him. There wasn't enough space for everyone inside the house, so tables and cushions were placed on the grass between the main house and Saya's flower field. The Third Hokage was still absent, probably catching up with all the paperwork he had let accumulate that afternoon. Anko had made the trip back to her place and changed her clothes.

Anko, Atsuko and Mikoto, having already claimed their seats, looked at Sasuke (having noticed his slightly flustered and noticeably grumbling expression after he returned from his little errand), then at Tenten, and shot the weapons girl knowing grins. Tenten only got redder.

Hinata's face was a mask as she carefully carried food from the kitchen to the tables.

"Wha…that was fast, kaa-chan! I mean, food for so many people…"

Saya shrugged. "Hinata and Atsuko helped a lot."

"I offered my assistance, too, Naruto-kun, but it seems there was not enough room for me." Mikoto interjected. "Either that or your mother just doesn't want me in the kitchen."

All the adults but Hiashi shot odd glances at the Uchiha lady. Saya didn't say a word. Instead, she turned to Naruto.

"So, where's the real one?"

Naruto stiffened noticeably. "H-How did you know?" His voice portrayed his amazement quite clearly.

"That you are a Shadow Clone?" Saya showed her trademark gentle smile. "A mother knows."

"A Shadow Clone is not a living being in the strict sense of the word. Saya can tell the difference. It's related to _**Fukyuu no Ryuu**_."

Saya mock-pouted at her husband. "Jerk."

Tenten's look was one of utter horror. "Wa-wait! You're a Shadow Clone?"

The clone blinked behind his headband-slash-blindfold. "Um…yeah?"

The females present quietly enjoyed watching how Tenten's face quickly distorted from shock to embarrassment to frustration to sadness to anger and back to shock in less than three seconds. After the third time the cycle was completed, they were just feeling pity for the girl.

Sasuke set his elbows on the table and hid his smirk behind his clasped hands. He had already noticed something else.

"So, where's that Naruto?" Saya insisted. Sasuke's smirk widened.

"My guess would be wherever that girl Hanabi is."

And **that's **when everyone else noticed the youngest Hyuuga was **still** absent.

Without any prompt, Atsuko triggered her _**Byakugan**_. She had almost no combat training, having never attended the ninja academy, but she was proud of the range of her eyes. Therefore, it wasn't long before she found the two missing children…and the situation they were in.

"Oh my." Her eyes widened almost imperceptibly before the bulging blood vessels around her eyes disappeared under her skin. "Oh my."

She stood up. "Please follow me…and I would be grateful if you remained silent."

It didn't take long for the large group to find the two children. Atsuko's request for silence was a blessing in disguise, for it stopped several of them from making a scene.

Naruto and Hanabi had succumbed to tiredness and the overall peaceful feeling of the forest around them. Hanabi hadn't moved from Naruto's lap. If anything, her grip on Naruto was fierce. Her little arms were wrapped around Naruto's body, lurking in the tiny space between his lower back and the tree he was leaning onto. Her body was leaning against his, front to front, and her head was carefully nested on his left shoulder, her nose millimeters from the side of his neck. Her legs on both sides had a firm hold of Naruto's thighs. At the same time, Naruto's arms embraced Hanabi as if the two's lives depended on it. Hanabi's hold on him was simply an indication of the girl seeking the most comfortable position. Naruto's hold on her screamed protectiveness and boundless affection. It was both a proof of affection and a challenge.

"_I'm not letting go."_

It was almost like a slap on the face of the other youngsters present. Tenten, Hinata and, much reluctantly from his part, Sasuke, acknowledged Naruto as their best friend. While they were all very precious people to him, absolutely nobody could deny that the person closest to Naruto's heart was the little girl on his lap.

It was hard to understand, but it was the hard truth. It was also true that Naruto was Hanabi's favorite person.

The blissful smile on her sleeping face was proof enough.

Saya was the first one to turn around and walk away. Feeling questioning gazes on her, she shrugged.

"If they are tired, we should let them rest. They'll eat when they're hungry-stay away from them, Anko."

"Tch!"

Atsuko nodded and joined Mikoto in enjoying the undeniably cute scene. Gai wouldn't speak against Saya. Rock Lee wouldn't speak against Gai. Shiki didn't care less. Tenten was unsure of how to act.

Surprisingly enough, Hinata wasn't angry. She couldn't argue against the placid, peaceful expression on the two's faces. Naruto-kun deserved his rest, and so did Hanabi. She **was** still proud of her little sister's prowess. Besides, knowing Naruto-kun like she did, he probably didn't arrange for them sleeping like that (and she was right).

Sasuke was with Shiki on this. He didn't care. Yeah, it was rather…uh…cute…and stuff, but his strike zone (yes, he actually has a strike zone) wasn't nearly that low, and he knew neither was Naruto's. In fact, he was unsure whether Naruto had a strike zone yet. If anything, it made him wonder how life would be if he had a younger sibling. He didn't put much thought into that, though.

"Hiashi, please have some respect for my son." Saya stated rather coldly. "Let's go."

Hiashi easily understood what Saya meant with those words, but that didn't stop him from staring sternly at the two sleeping children before walking away. This had only confirmed his decision. Hanabi had gotten too close to the boy.

* * *

Later that evening, Naruto was resting on the roof of his home. While he couldn't enjoy watching the starry sky, he relaxed and let his mind fly with the wind, following the cold currents and gaining awareness of the nearby areas. His perception dampened the further he extended it, and his world eventually became a blurry sea of faint colors in a canvas of pure darkness.

It was scary, in a way, but Naruto had already gotten used to it.

Not half an hour after they were found and left alone, Naruto woke up. In fact, he was awakened by the dispelling of a _**Kage Bunshin**_. For a moment, he was taken by surprise by the weight of Hanabi on his lap, but his latest memories and the reactivation of _**Senrigan**_ made things clear. He had had a surprisingly comfortable sleep, and it was obvious so did Hanabi.

The team he had left at the lab was done, it seemed, so he dispelled all his clones. Blood immediately rushed to his face when the memory of his little scene with Tenten made it to his mind, but it also caused him to smile. It was nice to have a friend who wasn't afraid to show him she cared. With the whole heiress thing, Hinata had to remain rather distant, at least in public. And Sasuke was a boy.

This brought him back to the girl on his lap. This was another girl who wasn't afraid to display her affection. While he couldn't see it clearly, he knew Hanabi loved to smile. She also seemed to be rather fond of hugs, which led to rather uncomfortable situations in the hot springs. Long story short, Hanabi hugging him always triggered a chain reaction that resulted in Naruto ending in the center of a massive naked female Hyuuga group hug. It didn't help that he always had to keep track of Mayumi's wandering hands.

Naruto had already discovered that there's such a thing as "too affectionate."

He let the girl sleep for ten or so more minutes before reluctantly waking her up. It was time to eat.

An hour and a half later, he rested on the roof, hands behind his head and "eyes" closed. Not like it made any difference, anyway. Atsuko had taken a tired and sleepy Hanabi back to the Hyuuga grounds with her. The Third had suddenly decided to move the date for the team assignments one more day.

Conveniently enough, the new date was the 28th of _**Yayoi**_: the day after Hanabi's eighth birthday.

Henceforth, Naruto's schedule had been adjusted. He would stay at Sasuke's that night, just as planned. The next night, Naruto and Sasuke would switch and sleep over at the Houraisan residence. And then Naruto would spend the following day with Hanabi, as it would be their last chance to just be together in a very long time. Naruto didn't forget to express his gratitude to the Hokage and to Hiashi. Not that the Hyuuga Leader could have stopped him from enjoying one last day with his best friend, even if he had tried.

Team Gai had also departed. They had to get ready for their C-rank, after all, and they could use a good, long sleep. Naruto handed Tenten a scroll with the tools his clones had prepared for her and then went into a lengthy explanation of how to use each. Tenten hadn't forgotten to properly thank the real Naruto. He wished her success in her next mission ("Think of me when you're kicking ass!") and Tenten gave him a quick hug ("Ahaha, I will.").

He had left Hinata washing dishes with his adoptive mother. Sasuke was being pestered by Anko for details of his "painful breakup," to the Third's silent amusement. Saya shot odd glances at Mikoto and her husband, who had taken a distance from the others to talk about who-knows-what.

Naruto sighed. He was finally a ninja. He had the headband that certified it. He was one step closer to Hokage. But he knew it was the easiest step. He still had a lot of things to do before he could aspire to claim the robes and hat. It would be a long and demanding journey.

He couldn't stop himself from grinning. "Bring it on."

He noticed the two figures landing on the roof, some distance to his left, merely an instant before one of them spoke.

"So here's where you are."

"Ah, teme. And Hina-chan."

"Dobe." Sasuke promptly replied. Naruto grinned. It had become almost a compliment.

"How did you find me?"

"_**Byakugan**_, Naruto-kun."

"Ah, of course. Come 'ere."

Hinata quickly tiptoed to Naruto's right side and laid down as close to him as possible without touching each other. Sasuke copied Naruto and rested his head on his hands as he faced the starry sky.

"What's in your mind, Naruto-kun?" Hinata dared ask. The sides of Naruto's lips arched slightly upwards.

"Dunno, just thinking…I…I actually graduated. I mean, thinking about five years ago, it's really hard to believe."

"It is a commendable accomplishment, Naruto-kun."

Sasuke rolled his eyes. "Well…yeah. I guess you don't see a blind ninja that often, do you?"

"Heheh…" Naruto grinned. "Sa-suke praised me…" He said in a sing-song voice.

"Idiot."

Naruto chuckled and quickly changed the topic. "Ne, ne, don't you think we'd make a kickass team?"

Hinata nodded. "We are strong together, Naruto-kun."

Sasuke rolled his eyes again. It was obvious the Hyuuga girl couldn't care less about whom their third teammate might be, she only cared about being part of Naruto's team. However, he had to admit the idea of making a team with the two fellow graduates to his right was rather appealing.

It was much better than teaming up with Haruno Sakura, or that flirty Yamanaka. He would be the first to declare that the long-haired blonde would make quite the sex kitten in a few years, but he was looking for strong teammates, thank you very much.

So, yes, making a team with Naruto and Hinata sounded like an excellent idea. However…

"Not going to happen. We're the three strongest in our class. Sandaime-sama obviously saw that today. He's not placing us three in a team together. I wouldn't be surprised if we three end up in different teams."

Hinata shuddered at the thought. She had obviously considered that possibility. She wouldn't be able to have a decent sleep until the team assignments. What would she do if she wasn't placed in the same team as her Naruto-kun?

Really, **what would she do?**

"Ah, that would be bad…" It was Naruto's sole comment. "But, really, it would be **really** awesome if we made a team!"

Hinata sighed. It was pointless to dwell on matters beyond her control. It was much better to soak herself in Naruto's optimism.

"Yes…yes, it would be, Naruto-kun."

"Yeah…it would be the awesome Team Gan!"

Crickets chirped. Which made no sense, being early spring and all that.

"Team Gan?" Sasuke asked in a soft whisper, almost afraid of the response. Naruto grinned proudly.

"_**Sharingan**_, _**Byakugan**_, _**Senrigan**_. Hence, Team **Gan**! It's **perfect**!" Naruto exclaimed as if he had just said the most awesome sentence ever conceived.

Silence.

"Wow."

Naruto and Sasuke frowned simultaneously.

"Just wow."

Yup, that didn't come from their mouths. "Hina-chan?"

Hinata leaned on her right side, hiding her face from Naruto. "I…wow. I…Naruto-kun, I…I know sometimes you…you…ano…I know sometimes you…umm…forget…to think before you speak…"

_In short, sometimes you're a complete idiot. _Sasuke concluded. _I partially agree. You're a complete idiot most of the time._

"…but…umm…ano…I…I am very sorry to say this, Naruto-kun, but…this…this…when I had thought I had seen the limit of your…ano…lack of thought…"

_Idiocy. _Sasuke's mind stated.

"…Naruto-kun, you…you just broke all boundaries…please don't hate me!"

"Uh?" Naruto uttered. "Hina-chan, I…I don't really get what you mean-uh? Sasuke?"

Sasuke walked past Naruto and kneeled in front of Hinata. His face was very serious, even for Uchiha standards. With both hands on his knees and both knees on the roof tiles, the youngest of the remaining Uchiha bowed respectfully in front of the Hyuuga Heiress.

"Eh?" Hinata uttered.

"Hyuuga Hinata-san, I know this is very sudden, but…please marry me and help me rebuild my clan."

"Eh?" That was Naruto.

Hinata's pupil-less eyes met Sasuke's pitch black. They looked at each other for a few seconds. Sasuke had a tiny frown; Hinata was completely neutral…until she snorted.

Sasuke's frown became more pronounced. Hinata's snort became a giggle. Giggling became chuckling, and a few seconds later it was full-blown laughter.

Naruto and Sasuke silently watched the girl. Her cold, mirthless laughter didn't cease for a minute or so, and it only faded gradually, in the time it took the girl to regain her bearings.

"Ahaha…haha…haa…" Hinata rubbed her eyes to wipe inexistent tears. "Ah…Uchiha-kun…"

Her smile was as cold as her laughter.

"The day I marry you will be the day I go Itachi on **my **clan."

Sasuke restrained himself. Naruto winced.

"Ooh, man…you got zinged!"

Naruto got a deadly glare for that. Not that he noticed, anyway.

* * *

An hour or so later, Uchiha Mikoto was sitting in front of a mirror, gently and slowly brushing her long ebony hair. It was one of those habits she had only developed with the fall of the Uchiha Clan.

Curiously enough, she wasn't precisely the most feminine of girls in her younger years. The tale of Uchiha Mikoto's early years is one of those which are shared in carefully concealed whispers in the corners of bars, the lone hallways of the public library or the nurses' resting room in the Konoha Hospital. It was one of those stories that nobody remembers until it is awfully convenient to do so, if only as something to talk about for the next ten or twenty minutes.

Every shinobi (and most civilians) of her generation remember the tale of Uchiha Eri, a young, lovely and promising Chuunin, who was sent to perform a simple C-rank mission on her own. It seemed, and it was, an easy mission; nothing the highly skilled Eri shouldn't have had problems dealing with. The mission was a complete success. However, everyone's surprise was immense when little Eri returned to Konoha pregnant…and completely insane. Eri died less than twenty-four hours after Mikoto was born. Her last bout of shrieking insanity concluded with a lethal heart attack.

While the clan at least had the decency of looking after the orphan, Mikoto's status was basically the lowest of the low. To deal with the solitude and the harshness of her early life, she assumed a tough façade and devoted herself to training. And that's how Uchiha Mikoto, the girl prodigy and insufferable tomboy, was born.

Awakened her _**Sharingan **_at the age of ten.

Graduated at the top of her class less than a year later.

Made it to Chuunin before her thirteenth birthday.

Mastered her Bloodline Limit at fifteen.

Jounin at sixteen.

She was the greatest Uchiha of her generation, even more so than the young Uchiha Fugaku, the future clan leader and direct descendant of Uchiha Madara.

She wasn't surprised when Fugaku began to court her. It wasn't surprising that she didn't put up much resistance, either. Sure, she played the role and played hard-to-get for a while, but she had always known she would marry the man. It was a marriage of convenience from both sides. Fugaku obviously wanted a strong mother for his offspring. He also wanted to shadow her rightfully-gained reputation by forcing her to retire from the ninja ranks. Mikoto only wanted an easy ticket to an easy life. She also wanted children, and Fugaku was as good as any. He was actually better than most males in her age gap.

It was a marriage born of clan issues and hollow aspirations. However, Mikoto actually fell in love with the man. She actually came to love him, and Fugaku returned her feelings…most of the time. As the wife of the clan leader, she dutifully learned how to behave as a proper lady, to the point that most people do not even remember the old Mikoto anymore.

And then came the seals.

When Fugaku told her about the seals, Mikoto knew she was to become a guinea pig. The clan needed someone with a mature _**Sharingan**_. She was perfect because she wasn't on duty. They couldn't try them on active shinobi as long as there was a risk of the seals disrupting the recipient's chakra or overall health.

Mikoto put the hairbrush away and placed her right hand on her flat stomach. The experimental seals, according to Houraisan Shiki, were located on the first six Gates. However, they had yet to show any effect, even after several years.

She had to acknowledge Shiki's unmatched knowledge of seals. The fact that he could pinpoint their exact locations in her body without a _**doujutsu**_ is impressive.

She looked at herself in the mirror. After a quick dip in the bathtub, she had cloaked herself in a plain white robe. She saw no need to wear anything underneath; it wasn't a particularly cold night, anyway.

She knew she was still beautiful at the age of thirty-five. She noticed she still drew glances towards her, some from men way younger than her. She just didn't care. She just didn't see herself dating again or, God forbid, remarrying. She hadn't had sex in years, but her body had yet to complain. Her entire life was Sasuke and her house.

However, Itachi had given her a reason to get her body and skills back on track, and Houraisan Shiki had given her something to do with her free time.

She was way past her prime, but she had been working out while Sasuke studied at the Academy. She was back in top condition; ready to fight should the need arise. And she could put up quite the fight. She wasn't dubbed "The Black Panthress" for nothing.

Mikoto smiled, and the Mikoto in the mirror returned the gesture. "Hmm…"

A few seconds later, Mikoto was turning her head to better look at the black cat ears that adorned the crown of her head. Her right hand reached down and seized the playful black tail that peeked out of her robe, getting a feel of the short, wiry black hairs. It was a very strong and very flexible tail, just like a feline's.

Her two hands traveled up behind her head, to reach the cat ears from behind. The softest touch made them twitch, eliciting a smile from the Uchiha lady. At the time of the massacre, Mikoto was considering using the cat ears and tail to rekindle the passion with her husband. They had reached the age in which such things were always welcome to keep the partner interested. Unfortunately, she never got the chance to find out if her husband was into _**nekomimi**_.

She scratched the back of the black ears, causing her to giggle. The whole thing was very amusing to her. Maybe…

Gently pushing the ears forward and assuming her best "shy and demure" expression, she meowed.

"Myaaa…"

An instant later, her hands were clasped on her lap and she was blushing a brilliant crimson. "What are you doing, Uchiha Mikoto?" She hissed at her mirror image.

A long, silent minute followed, in which the blushing woman fidgeted with her fingers. She could feel the tip of the tail hitting her right calf. Slowly, hesitantly, her hands went back up. Her lips curved into a smile half-playful, half-bashful. She pushed the back of her ears one more time and…

"Mu-nyaaa…"

This time, she giggled. Somehow the way she was breaking her image of the perfect Uchiha lady was almost…liberating.

"Nyaaaw!" She meowed one more time, this time lowering her hands to chest level and curving them into a shape resembling paws, before making mock scratches in the air.

"Pfft!"

Mikoto froze in half-scratch. That wasn't her.

Wearing his plain white t-shirt and rather long green boxers, Houraisan Uzumaki Naruto stood under the doorframe of her room. He had replaced the Konoha forehead protector by a piece of orange cloth that blindfolded him. She also noticed the paper strip crumpled in his left hand.

His face seemed to be a bizarre amalgam of amused and traumatized. And it was obvious he was struggling not to laugh.

Mikoto couldn't resist the rush of blood to her face. "Na-Naruto-kun…"

_Please don't laugh please don't laugh please don't laugh…or I'll HURT you._

It was commendable how Mikoto's face didn't reflect her thoughts. But, after all, she was a very skilled kunoichi.

She watched how Naruto physically resisted his immense urge to break into laughter by shaping it into a volume of saliva and swallowing it with noticeable difficulty, as if it were a rock. After that, his face relaxed into his usual neutral expression. They stared at each other for several tense seconds…

"…pfft! Bwahahahaha-ow!"

Naruto's laughter was interrupted by a hairbrush smacking him right on the center of his forehead.

"Ne, ne, are those real?" Naruto was asking a minute or so later, standing in front of the Uchiha lady. Mikoto tilted her head cutely. Her new feline ears perked up in the process.

"Why would you think that?"

"Well, they move…"

"I could do that with chakra."

"Uh, well…yeah…but…" He moved a step closer, standing on his toes to "get a better look." "They are warm. Like, you know, a person."

"Hmm? Interesting."

"Can I touch them?"

"No."

"Aww…"

"They're rather delicate."

"I'll be careful!" Naruto insisted, reaching for one of the ears with his right hand.

Swipe!

Naruto flinched back. "Did you just **scratch **me?"

Mikoto smirked. "That's what you get for being a bad boy." She made her best imitation of a threatening meow, adding a scratching motion for effect. Naruto chuckled at that.

"Really…"

Mikoto's fairly long and well-cared nails reached for Naruto's stomach.

"Hey! That kinda tickles!"

"You were thinking of trying again."

Naruto gasped. "How did you-I mean, NO, I WAS NOT!"

Mikoto's smirk was commendably feline. "I'm an Uchiha, Naruto-kun."

"Uchiha-neko!"

Another scratch. Naruto giggled. It was ticklish.

"I'm Neko-Miko-chan. Get ready to be scratched."

She pounced.

"No, wait! Waaa! Waha! Wahaha! Mikoto-nee-chan, wait! Ow! No fair!"

"Oi, dobe, just what the hell are you…doing…"

Sasuke, who had left the safety and comfort of his room to check on, his loud best friend (he was being particularly loud, which drew Sasuke's attention), devoured the scene with his eyes. Even without the _**Sharingan**_, the sight would be engraved in his mind for the rest of his days.

His mother, straddled on top of Naruto, her hands on his stomach, under his shirt.

With cat ears.

And a tail.

"Ah, Sasuke-dear. What is it-nyaa?"

Yeah, she got into her role.

Sasuke's jaw made a slow, circular motion, as if he had tasted a particularly disgusting medicine. He didn't blink. He couldn't blink.

"Mou, Neko-Miko-chan…" Naruto muttered in a low but playful tone; unaware (or uncaring) of Sasuke's presence. "…you're too rough."

Mikoto looked back down at the boy she had trapped between her legs. "Ah, serves you right-nyaa!"

And Sasuke's mind gave up.

"Waaaaah! I have seen it! IT CANNOT BE UNSEEN! Whaaaaaa!"

Naruto's and Mikoto's ears followed his footsteps as he returned to his room, followed by the loud bang of the door being closed, followed by the sound of something big being dragged inside the room, and finishing with a second bang of something hitting the sliding door from inside.

Then, silence.

"I…think he has barricaded himself inside his bedroom." Mikoto concluded.

"I think we broke him." Naruto added. His mind quickly assimilated the significance of what Mikoto had just said. "So now where am I gonna sleep?"

More silence.

Mikoto and Naruto turned their heads at the same time, to look at the lone bed that highlighted Sasuke's mother's bedroom.

* * *

Forty-five minutes later, Mikoto looked up from her night reading. She got into romance novels after the death of her husband and her entire clan; a consequence of her relentless search for something to do with her life after losing almost everything. Unlike Saya or Anko, she didn't go for the particularly raunchy pieces, but explicit sex scenes were part of the genre, and she did enjoy reading them. She looked at Naruto's face through his reflection on the mirror. He was surprisingly serious, and entirely focused on what he was doing.

After Sasuke barricaded himself, Mikoto had excused herself and gone to the toilet for a minute. When she returned, she had disposed of her feline bits. Naruto had taken her seat in front of the mirror and unfurled a clear scroll in front of him.

"…are you writing a letter, Naruto-kun?"

"Um!" Naruto nodded, not taking his "eyes" off the scroll.

"A love letter?" Mikoto teased, but Naruto only snorted. "Pfft. Right."

The woman figured Naruto wouldn't be one to beat around the bush with those things. He wouldn't bother with love letters.

"I'm writing to the ANBU Demolition Corps."

Mikoto couldn't stop herself from shuddering. "May…May I ask why?"

"Yeah, well, I wanted to write to these guys for a while, but I thought 'hey, they probably won't take a brat seriously' and stuff. So, now that I'm a ninja, I thought I'd give it a go."

Mikoto didn't comment on the fact that he still had to be tested by his Jounin mentor. He wasn't supposed to know that, after all.

"And what exactly do you want to tell them?"

Naruto shrugged. "Dunno. I just…I guess I just want to know. I mean, these guys are the explosive experts. That's, like, sick awesome. So I'm asking about the kinds of things they do. Also…I'm writing about my own experiments with explosives and the results I've gotten. I know they probably already know all this stuff, but…umm…I guess it just doesn't hurt to tell them. The worst that will happen is that they'll completely ignore my letter and, well…" Naruto chuckled a bit bitterly. "…I'm pretty used to that, anyway."

Mikoto nodded. Naruto's situation, while much healthier, wasn't that different even after five years. The places where he was welcome could be counted with two hands: his own home, the Administration Building (because he had proven to be a godsend), the Academy (because it's neutral ground and the adults' politics do not reach there…except for details like Sakura), the Hyuuga grounds (because of Hanabi and because the Hyuuga ladies just **adored** him for some reason; it didn't make sense), Ichiraku Ramen, the Nin-Ten shop, and the house they were currently in. Other than that, he was still the village pariah, only with nicer clothes…and blind.

It didn't seem to affect him that much anymore, but that was mostly because he just didn't interact with people outside his circle of friends. He rarely moved outside the aforementioned list of places he was welcome into.

"But I just don't know who to send it to?" Naruto muttered. "Should I just put 'Dear ADC guys'?"

Mikoto smiled sweetly. "Tooru Rei."

"Hmm?"

"The commander of the ANBU Demolition Corps. Her name's Tooru Rei."

"Ah, okay! Thanks, Miko-nee-chan." He removed the 'neko' part, but the shortened form of her name stuck. "Wha-wait, 'her'? The commander's a girl?"

"Well, I wouldn't call her a 'girl', but, yes, she's a female."

"Whoa…" Naruto tapped his cheek with the tip of the ink brush. "She must be, like…Super Ten-chan or something. That's awesome."

Mikoto could only smile at the immediate association with his Genin friend.

"Oh well." Naruto declared as he rolled the unfinished letter and carefully closed his ink bottle. "I'm tired. I'll get this done later. Now's time to sle-aah!"

Neither Mikoto nor Naruto had noticed Sasuke ceasing his blockade and leaving his bedroom. He had grabbed Naruto from the scruff of his t-shirt.

"Like hell I'm letting you sleep here." The boy growled as he dragged Naruto away from his mother's bedroom. Mikoto followed them with her amused eyes until they left the room.

"Aw, why not?" Naruto whined. "Miko-nee-chan's bed is big and bouncy and comfy! I wanna sleep with Miko-nee-chan!"

Sasuke twitched and stopped halfway to his room. He stared down at Naruto, who would have showed him puppy dog eyes if he could. Then he stared at the wall to his right. Then back at Naruto. Then the wall.

Naruto.

Wall.

Mikoto shook when the wall to her left shook by the impact with Naruto's head.

"Why didn't I think of this before…?" Sasuke muttered to himself while looking down at the barely conscious form of his best friend. "It's perfect."

"Ueeeh…what happened to your breasts, Mayumi-chan?" Naruto mumbled as his unfocused mind showed him Sasuke's silhouette. "…and what the heck did you do to your hair…? Umm…at least you're wearing **something** today…"

The wall shook again.

* * *

Masaki Kouki, Jounin in charge of Team Three, let go a long, deep sigh after the last item was sealed in his rather large storage scroll. He had already done everything he had scheduled for the day. It was time to rest…not.

His carefully trained shinobi awareness warned him of the new presence in his apartment. His body didn't react in any way. He wasn't alarmed. It was an expected and welcomed visit. He glanced at the alarm clock on his bedside table before exiting the room.

"You're early." He didn't bother greet the girl sitting on his dining table as if she owned the place. She had replaced her tight shorts for a white mini-skirt. With her legs crossed, gravity pulled the skirt further upwards, making it cover even less than it normally would.

"You're early, Yume."

The fifteen-year-old girl smiled mischievously. She shifted her legs, offering her sensei an eyeful of her delicate (and very, very small) black panties before her left leg came to rest over her right.

"I thought we would need a bit more time tonight."

Kouki nodded. "You thought right." His neutral gaze disappeared and was replaced by a smile as naughty as the girl's. "So, what's the schedule?"

Imamiya Yume smiled triumphantly and hungrily. Her tank-top was gone before her feet touched the floor.

The rest of her clothes followed soon after.

* * *

Houraisan Shiki opened his eyes. He had never fallen asleep on the first place, so it wasn't difficult.

His head turned to his left and he gazed at his wife's sleeping face. There was no emotion on her face; she was simply resting. It always amazed him how she was an unchangeable constant in the ever-changing madness of the world around them. Of course, she had changed. In many ways. However, her appearance remained that of the fourteen-year-old girl he selfishly condemned alongside him.

_I love her. Kami, I love her. Despite everything, I love her. So very much._

He suppressed the overwhelming urge to touch her; kiss her; hold her close. He couldn't risk waking her up. Well, he could, he just thought it wouldn't be nice to wake her up after such an eventful day.

Calmly, diligently, he got off the bed. He made no unnecessary motions, so as to minimize the chance of stirring his wife's well-deserved rest. He was shirtless, wearing only boxers and black silk pants, but he had already prepared for that. There was a long-sleeved black cotton shirt waiting for him in a storage paper strip hidden inside the piano.

_I'll be back in a while, Saya._

The moment he closed the door behind him, Houraisan Saya opened her eyes.

After getting properly dressed, Shiki left the house and immersed himself in the sea of trees surrounding the Houraisan grounds. Even in the nigh absolute darkness, he knew his way. It was his territory, after all. He knew it like he knew every single inch of Saya's body.

His ability with sealing techniques had earned him the S-rank in all Hidden Villages' Bingo Books. He didn't know whether he truly deserved the rank or not. Honestly, he didn't care. But there was one thing he was absolutely certain of.

Within the boundary of the Houraisan Family Grounds, no human being could defeat him. He had made sure of that. He hadn't really had the chance to verify this hypothesis, but he was absolutely sure of it.

It didn't take long to make his way back to the clearing where Naruto's open combat test had taken place. While there were a few hints here and there, Saya had restored the place pretty much in its entirety. No matter how many times he witnessed it, _**Fukyuu no Ryuu**_ never ceased to amaze him. It wouldn't do to draw the anger of Morikawa Ayaka more than they already did just by existing.

He wasn't alone.

"…Mikoto-san."

Uchiha Mikoto bowed slowly and elegantly, like she had been taught. Shiki appreciated beauty and elegance, having been exposed to divine exemplars of those two concepts. There was no doubt in his mind that Uchiha Mikoto was one of the most beautiful women he had ever met. And he had met **a lot** of women in his long life.

"Houraisan-sama."

She was wearing only a robe, the kind a woman would wear to bed, or after taking a bath. He guessed it made sense. She had placed a large white blanket on the grass in front of her. A good idea.

"Well, you know what to do." He stated.

Mikoto nodded and proceeded to take off her sole piece of clothing.

* * *

**End of chapter four…**

* * *

**Author's Note: **Phew! Long chapter is loooooooong. So, what should I talk about?

This chapter's fight was awfully difficult to write, and it's the main reason the chapter took so fricking long. I had to write a Naruto long on resources, yet I wanted it to be as cool and flashy as the others. Of course, the highpoints of the fight had to be Saya using_** Fukyuu no Ryuu **_and Naruto revealing _**Hanabi no Naruto**_, so the whole fight was mostly a buildup for those two events. Still, it was insanely hard. To think I still have two more fights in this chronicle…sigh.

Lots of subplots in this chapter, which made it turn out ridiculously long. Lots of little details that will make sense sooner or later, and a few important revelations, like Nana-chan the Jinchuuriki. Hope that gets cevgar off my back for a while (heheh, no offense; we're cool). There's _**Fukyuu no Ryuu**_, Masaki Kouki and his Genin Team, Team Gai's C-rank mission, Akatsuki antics, the whole issue with Shiki and Mikoto and Saya's growing jealously…haa, so many things to think about…

I enjoy Naruto's interactions with his friends. Naruto and Sasuke are like, my ideal comedy duo. Naruto and Hanabi are just awfully cute, and writing Hinata is just awesome no matter what I do. Tenten had always been a bit more difficult than anyone else, but I think I finally got to enjoy writing her after this chapter. Her conversations with Naruto are just so saturated with innuendo; it's hilarious. Hard to believe she's just 13. I can't believe I made **Tenten** of all people the "sexy" character among the Konoha Genin females. Anyone would think that role goes to Ino. Ino's getting a slightly different role. It will still be sexy, though.

Now, two issues I felt I need to address.

**Power Levels: **Yeah, by now it should be obvious I'm raising the power levels. It's hard not to when these ninjas have to be able to deal with Supernals. So, yeah, power levels are going up. Considerably. Like, Narutimate Accel-level. I'm not going Dragon Ball Z anytime soon, but you are warned. Besides, it's shonen! I call Rule of Cool.

**Naruto's Sex-Ed:** So, we know Naruto has been thoroughly educated in this respect. He knows where babies come from. He knows about that act of love-making, and he also knows of other sexual variants (I mean, **Anko **was there!). He knows of oral and anal and bondage and S&M and all that kinky stuff. Much to his chagrin, he also knows about yaoi courtesy of Sasuke. The thing is, Naruto's Sex-Ed was precisely that: Sex-Ed. He does not know the subtle aspects of romance and courtship. He does not fully understand the concept of intimacy. He knows what a kiss in the mouth means (and he knows about Frenching), but to him kisses on the cheek or the forehead are just ordinary displays of affection. He actually kisses Hanabi on a regular basis. Hence he remains mostly oblivious some things. Should Tenten just jump him and shove her tongue in his mouth, he would figure it out quite easily. Unfortunately, that's not happening anytime soon. I'll let you know, though, that Naruto won't remain ignorant for long.

Let's talk music now.

I'm currently in a Stratovarius phase. That's why I had "Playing with Fire" on a loop as I wrote this chapter. But anyway.

If I had to pick an opening song for a hypothetical Fantasia anime, I'd have to choose "Venus Say," the opening for "Twin Spica."

Now, this chapter's bonus song.

When I think Hinata, I think "Dichotomy." There's the nice Hinata and the "dark" Hinata. It's obvious I need two different songs for such a troublesome young girl. However, I am just sharing one this time.

"Nice" Hinata is quiet but determined. She's a girl who wants to be strong, to overcome the unfair expectations of her clan. She's a girl who, despite her shortcomings and issues, thanks to Naruto, has learned how to smile and fight for her dreams. She calls Naruto "her Sun." That would make her the Moon. Which is rather weird, given her name. Anyway, I'm rambling. Enjoy the first song I picked for Hinata. Straight from "Shuusou Gyoku," Touhou's sister series, "Dichromatic Lotus Butterfly Ancients." This version comes from the "SPICA" arrange album. Hope you like it!

* * *

**Narutionary**

_**Kagabiko & Kagutsuchi **_are both references to the Hi-no-kami (火の神) of the Kojiki. They are both acceptable names for the same entity, the primordial god of fire, son of Izanami and Izanagi.

_**Mokusui Kanshou Rokakairo **_(木水緩衝濾過回路): Wood-Water Buffered Filtering Circuit. The formal name of Naruto's Body Circuit. Its several functions consist of reinforcing the Kyuubi's seal, filtering disturbances in Naruto's chakra to improve his control, store small amounts of chakra to act as a rechargeable battery of sorts (by using the command _**Eiki wo ya shinau**_ roughly, "Restore my energy"), and slightly improving Naruto's defenses against Genjutsu.

* * *

**Technique List**

* * *

**Hakurou Tenbu (**白朧天舞

**Name: **White Haze Celestial Dance

**Type: **Hiden (B-rank), Offensive, Short range (0-5 m)

**Users: **Houraisan Saya, Shodai Hokage

The first attack _**ougi**_ of the _**Houraisan no Fukyuu no Ryuu**_ Taijutsu style. No more information available.

* * *

**Hanabi no Naruto (**花火の鳴戸

**Name: **Maelstrom of Fireworks

**Type: **C-rank, Offensive, All ranges

**Users: **Houraisan Naruto

The "beautiful jutsu of friendship and awesome." It requires a large amount of shadow clones due to the multiple remote manipulations involved. Naruto's clones use _**Tesabaki **_to control many kunai, moving them in random, unpredictable patterns or using them as homing projectiles to chase the target(s), whatever they wish. All the kunai have special storing seal paper tags attached to them. The real Naruto then unseals the contents of all the paper strips at the same time. The clones generally make the kunai stop in midair for this. Each paper tag has eight exploding tags sealed within, which are them thrown at equidistant 45 degrees from each other, in a manner resembling ordinary fireworks. Then, of course, the tags explode.

* * *

**Houraisan Garyuu (**蓬莱山牙竜

**Name: **Houraisan Dragon Fang

**Type: **Hiden (B-rank), Offensive, Short range (0-5 m)

**Users: **Houraisan Saya, Shodai Hokage

The second offesinve _**ougi**_ of the _**Houraisan no Fukyuu no Ryuu **_Taijutsu style. No more information available.

* * *

**Musoukyaku (**夢想脚

**Name: **Dream Kick (literally, "Dream Leg")

**Type: **C-rank, Offensive, Short range (0-5 m)

**Users: **Houraisan Saya, Hyuuga Himeko, Hyuuga Hinata, all _**Karyuu **_practitioners

A special move of the _**Karyuu **_Taijutsu style consisting of a high speed jump with a rapid downwards impulse and a thrusting kick charged with Fire-nature chakra.

* * *

**Nijyuu Rasen Renda (**二重螺旋連打

**Name: **Double Spiral Barrage

**Type: **C-rank, Offensive, Short range (0-5 m)

**Users: **Houraisan Naruto

An original jutsu invented by Naruto in the throes of combat. He throws two storage seal scrolls and uses _**Tesabaki**_ to make them surround his target(s) creating two spirals. Then he unleashing every single projectile weapon he has stored. He will later add explosive tags to the mix, but he avoids using them because they destroy his scrolls in the process.

Tenten will take this jutsu and modify it into her trademark _**Soushouryuu**_ (双昇龍, Twin Rising Dragons) and its variations.

* * *

**Ryoutotsugeki (**両突撃

**Name: **Two-Hand Assault

**Type: **C-rank, Offensive, Short range (0-5 m)

**Users: **Houraisan Saya, Hyuuga Himeko, Hyuuga Hinata, all _**Karyuu **_practitioners

A special move of the _**Karyuu **_Taijutsu style consisting a combo of wide swipes with an explosive knockback finisher. This finisher is more often that not omitted, as _**Ryoutotsugeki **_is often used as an opener for further maneuvers.


	17. Awakening of the Apotropaic God, Part 1

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Naruto. Don't sue.

* * *

_**Naruto Fuujinroku**_

_**鳴戸**__**風神録**_

**Second Chronicle:**_** Fantasia of Apotropaic Esoterica**_

**Chapter Five**

_**Awakening of the Apotropaic God – Esoteric Reality

* * *

**_

"We are done. You may leave now, if you so wish."

Seated in seiza position next to her, Shiki dismissed the nude Uchiha Mikoto. Placidly, the woman, too, got on her knees to put on her single piece of clothing. The woman felt almost hurt as she got dressed. The young-looking Shiki, lost in thought, wasn't even paying attention to her. _Truly a unique man._

"Anything?" She said plainly. The seal specialist shook his head.

"Nothing we didn't know before. While I have no doubt the person who made those seals was skilled, his knowledge of applying seals to human beings was lacking. You are fortunate the seals are simply useless and didn't trigger any harmful response."

"Should we remove them?"

"I wouldn't recommend it. There's no way to know if trying to remove them would actually trigger the response their presence hasn't caused."

"No sense poking a sleeping tiger?"

Shiki made an odd face. "Interesting analogy. Yes, I would say that is a way to put it. I take it there are no issues with…?"

Mikoto tightened the knot on her waist. "Nekomimi Mode is working perfectly, as you saw."

"Hmm…" Shiki lowered his face in thought for a moment before looking back up at the standing woman. "About that…I might be able to tell you more about Nekomimi Mode…sometime soon."

Mikoto blinked. "That's…good, I guess. What about…?"

"You are free to stop by whenever you want to read what I have on _**Mangekyou Sharingan**_. I cannot let you take the material out of my house, though."

"That is acceptable." Mikoto bowed with utmost politeness. "I cannot thank you enough for your kind assistance, Houraisan-sama."

Shiki shrugged. "It's interesting, to say the least." He placed his left hand on the ground to support himself and stand up. "It's not every day I get to study a-"

Mikoto's eyes widened in alarm when Shiki suddenly brought his right hand up to cover his mouth and smother the nasty fit of coughing and rasping that followed.

"Hou…Houraisan-sama?" She tentatively asked. Having fallen back on his rear, with his left hand clutching his chest and his right hand on his mouth, he looked like a frail, sickly teenager. Mikoto had to suppress a face of disgust at the sounds that came from his throat.

The fit ended with a pained groan and a wheeze, followed by a minute of heavy breathing. By the time his breathing returned to normal, the thin sheen of sweat covering his face was clearly visible under the moonlight.

"You…you may go." Shiki's voice came out tired and raspy. His right hand was still covering his mouth. "I need a decent sleep after this."

Mikoto almost raised an eyebrow. What kind of idiot did he take her for? However…

"Very well. Have a pleasant day, Houraisan-sama."

"Ye-yes. I'll leave Naruto to your care today."

With that, the stunning Uchiha gracefully made her exit. She had no hurry, so she walked normally.

Shiki finally moved his hand away. His tired, gray eyes stared at the ugly spot of lifeless blood on his palm.

He sighed.

"Thank you for coming, Hina-sama."

"Thank you for the hard work." The goddess responded as she emerged.

Unlike their last meeting, this time she revealed the draconic traits of her otherwise human-like frame. Her wavy, curly long hair was tied near the end with a thick runed golden ring. Two small horns protruded from her scalp, and her ears were pointed on both the upper and the lower ends. Her legs under the knees were protected by a layer of metallic scarlet scales. A cute little tail could be seen wiggling out of her back (Shiki always thought it looked more like a tadpole's tail, but he wisely chose not to share his thoughts) and three other protrusions shaped like dragon fingers emerged from her tailbone, two of the resting on her sides and the third travelling down her shapely rear to cover the slit of her vagina.

Shiki, however, fixed his gaze on Hina's personal emblem, embedded on the middle of her chest: a red shape resembling a Y letter, with a red dot in the middle of the two short arms. Shiki thought it looked like a man-shaped doodle as made by a small child, only without legs.

A pair of green eyes glowed with mischief. "Like what you see?"

Shiki smiled in mild amusement. "While your current form is not precisely…sexually arousing, there is no denying that it is beautiful. And that little fang peaking out of your mouth is quite cute."

"So I've been told." A flat-topped pillar of compacted soil popped out of the ground in front of Shiki, for Hina to use as a seat. She provocatively crossed her legs in front of the man. "But, you know, I have seduced my fair share of males with this form."

"There is no doubt in my mind about that."

Hina's playful expression disappeared. "So, it's happening."

Shiki restored his initial seiza position, presenting himself in a respectful manner in front of the mighty goddess.

"I couldn't predict the celerity of this…development."

"How much longer?"

Shiki slowly shook his head. "It is rather pointless to try to make predictions. It will happen when Shinigami-sama wills it so. May I ask you a question, Hina-sama?"

"You may ask."

"Do you know how old I am?"

Hina tilted her head, visibly puzzled by this question. "Well…I am aware you are older than me. We've known each other for, what? A hundred and fifty years? Something like that."

"Yes…" Shiki closed his eyes and took a deep breath before opening them again. "…I will be eight hundred and forty-one years old in a few weeks."

"While the contract ensures that my soul stays in this body for eternity, it is a fact that the human body was not made to live for so long."

"When Saya and I became…this, we took diametrically different paths. Saya sought perfection of body, stopping its natural decay with chakra and rigorous training. That is what led her to study and later develop Taijutsu."

"I sought lucidity of mind, and devoted my existence to learning so as to prevent my brain from going stagnant."

"Liar."

Shiki blinked. "Pardon?"

"Do you think I haven't noticed?" Hina looked more amused than anything else, hence why Shiki didn't feel threatened by her words. "What you have done to your body? If it's about 'perfection of body', isn't yours then an example?"

The seal master sighed. "Nothing escapes you, Hina-sama. I am awed."

"You may have taught me _**Fuuinjutsu**_, but never forget that I can wield powers far beyond your grasp."

"I am aware of that. I apologize for my carelessness."

"However, what I have done in no way can prevent what is happening. At best, it has delayed it, but the matter remains that this body is old and in the verge of collapse."

"As it is right now, it is not electrical impulses which drive my nervous system, but chakra. As for Saya, it is her 'Hourai' chakra that keeps her body healthy, but her brain already shows signs of deterioration."

"So you're saying your wife is going to lose it?"

Shiki didn't answer, and Hina was kind enough not to push.

"Speaking of your wife, you did notice her _**Kage Bunshin **_peeping on you a while ago, didn't you?"

"That is something I shall deal with myself."

"Fair enough."

Shiki pulled away the long sleeve of his black shirt to reveal his right wrist. Tapping it lightly, with the index of his left hand, a scroll appeared.

"Using your own body as a storage medium…" Hina mused. "And to seal a storage scroll, no less! Truly the mark of a master."

"I am honored by your words, Hina-sama."

From the scroll Shiki summoned a paper bag and a tray with two bottles and a small cup. Hina giggled in delight.

"Steaming hot Taiyaki and warm Sake? You certainly know how to pamper me, Houraisan. Give me a nice fuck and I'd love you forever."

Shiki chose not to comment on that, but the goddess found the mild blush on his face absolutely lovely.

Once the half-dragon was properly served, the two resumed their amiable conversation.

"So, about Uchiha Mikoto…"

"No doubt about it." Munch. "She's like me. Damn, this is good." Hina was more interested in her Taiyaki. Shiki was forced to ignore her absolute lack of manners.

"The daughter of a human and a supernal."

"It's weird that she can turn her supernal traits on and off like that, though."

"You mean Nekomimi Mode?"

Hina nodded. "I can change my appearance however I like, but my powers remain the same. It's just that, a shape-changing technique. Most supernals can do it. That girl…her supernal powers drop to zero the moment she dismisses the ears and the tail. If I hadn't known beforehand I would have assumed she was just another human."

"Hmm…so we are looking for a male feline god."

"Who might possess the Moon Agenda, if we take into account what she said about this new…technique of hers." Hina added. "…I…guess I can find him if I really try, but…"

Shiki nodded. "Mikoto knows enough about Supernals to realize her father probably doesn't even know or care about her. She won't try to look for him or anything like that."

"Good." Hina chugged down a sizable shot of Sake. "She might just piss him off like that."

"So, with that settle, I guess you're going back to Suwa?"

"Well…" She refilled her cup. "Since I'm already here, I could pay a visit to my children."

Like all other chakra-based combat disciplines, the Eight Gates were humanity's attempt to mimic the feats of the gods. It was Ryuuguu Hina who first taught a group of six talented youngsters (one of them happened to be a seven-hundred-and-something years old Saya, but she didn't know that yet) how to break through the body's self-imposed limiters. This is a secret all Gatekeepers have protected for approximately a century and a half. They call themselves 'Dragonblooded' or 'Dragonbranded' and Hina affectionately calls them 'her children.'

Whether Hina has actual children or not is another thing entirely. Shiki has no idea.

"For their sake, please oh please put some clothes on, Hina-sama."

The little goddess made a dismissing gesture. "Pfft. It's their fault if they can't handle this." She alluringly slid a hand on her flawless skin.

"No, I don't think that's the issue here…" For the second time, Shiki tried to get on his knees. "Now, with your permission, I will leave you."

"And where exactly do you think you are going, Houraisan?" The girl's eyes narrowed one more time. "You still have to pay the fee for my cooperation."

In a moment, the pleasant atmosphere between the two simply dissolved into nothingness. They weren't friendly acquaintances anymore. There was only a goddess and a lowly male.

The seal master looked up at the dragon princess, unsure of what to say. She simply continued, her lips curving into an unpleasant smile, at least to him.

"And Taiyaki just won't cut it this time."

Shiki glanced at the goddess for a second too long. The moment she raised an eyebrow in irritation, the Lord of Houraisan dropped his head in submission…and a hint of defeat.

"How can I serve you, Hina-sama?"

Hina chuckled darkly. Her sneer looked out of place on her youthful appearance.

"How stupid…not a Supernal, but not a human either. Nothing but a pale shadow; a mockery of existence crafted to be Shinigami-sama's plaything. I pity you, Houraisan."

Shiki only clenched his fists in restrained annoyance.

"You know as well as I do that there's nothing you could offer me that I cannot acquire myself."

Her right leg still crossed over the left, she offered a small white foot to a visibly stunned Houraisan Shiki. Despite the fact that she always walked bare, it remained astoundingly pristine (_Guess that's gods for you…_ Shiki thought), and he didn't fail to notice the dangerous-looking talon protruding out of her heel. It was unique in that fact that it didn't seem to be made of bone, looking more like some sort of reddish, metallic, alien crystal.

"Lick it. We'll see where that takes us."

* * *

Uchiha Sasuke could not sleep.

From the warm comfort of his bed, he could stare at the cloudy sky beyond the small window. While his eyes were fixed in that direction, his thoughts remained aimless and unfocused.

His mind replayed the fights over and over. As it is prone of humans to do, he pondered possibilities. What if I have done this here? What if I moved like this instead? Such questions troubled his young mind.

Beyond that, he also evaluated the other two fights, the ones involving Hinata and her little sister (whose name he just couldn't keep in his head, apparently).

The conclusions he reached were unsettling.

There was no way around it: at their current levels, Hinata was way above him. Even above Naruto, in fact. It would be next to impossible for Naruto to keep Hinata away from the close-combat range where she excelled. No amount of skill with seals and mid-to-long range combat would help Naruto in that situation. As for Sasuke, it was plainly obvious that Hinata's Taijutsu was superior to his, and her technique rendered his Katon jutsu useless.

So, Hinata was better. Surprisingly enough, he could deal with that. Their careers as shinobi were just starting.

Then there was Naruto's chibi-Hyuuga. The first thing that astounded him was that the little girl did not rely on the Hyuuga style he had heard from his mother, but on the Wind-elemental style Naruto had taught her. And she was good. Astoundingly good.

He, Sasuke, was called a genius due to his Uchiha name. That little girl was a true Taijutsu prodigy.

However, Sasuke was quite perceptive. He knew there was another factor which contributed even more to the girl's outstanding performance the afternoon before.

Teamwork.

Naruto and that girl knew how to fight together. He couldn't remember Naruto giving instructions to his student (except at the very beginning); they instinctively complemented each other's actions. Sasuke wondered if that was what happened when two people trained together for years. Of course, he was aware that the Third Hokage was holding back, but still, the way those two fought against the strongest one in Konoha was nothing short of amazing.

The lone Uchiha let go a deep sigh. It was not fair. While he was limited to the now-clearly insufficient instruction at the Academy and what few he learned from the family scrolls, Hinata had learned from the penultimate Taijutsu Master and Naruto had received an immensely more substantial education. And the little girl learned from Naruto, but Sasuke would worry about her in a few years.

How could he expect to improve like this? How could he expect to prove the Uchiha name was still synonymous with strength and skill?

How could he expect to reach out to Itachi like this?

Turning to his right on the bed, Sasuke looked at the figure sleeping on the floor. Houraisan Uzumaki Naruto placidly rested as if all were right with the world. While Sasuke had expected the other boy to sprawl himself all over the bedroom floor, he was surprised to see that Naruto's posture was almost solemn in its rigidity.

Sasuke understood Naruto. He knew why Naruto behaved the way he did and he knew why Naruto made it a habit to annoy him whenever he could. Sasuke could deal with that…except when his mother decided to join in the fun. That was just wrong.

_What is it? What did you do to get so damn strong, Naruto?_

"Could you stop staring at me like that, Sasuke? It's really creeping me out."

Sasuke's miffed stare persisted for a few seconds. "…you're awake."

"Never been asleep." Naruto grinned. "You do remember I don't need to keep my eyes open to use _**Senrigan**_, don't'cha?"

"Jackass."

"Jerk."

"Dobe."

"Pretty boy."

Sasuke sighed and leaned back on the bed, spreading his arms to the sides. "Can't sleep?"

"Well, I'll have to get used to sleeping on the floor. Got spoiled by my nice bed at home."

"Too bad."

"More like sad."

"Yeah…"

"So, why were you staring longingly at me like that?"

"I was not!"

"You were."

"Not longingly!"

"No way I can tell."

"There you go." Sasuke nodded to himself, and said no more.

Silence. Sasuke followed the tranquil pace of the clouds outside, his mind quietly reminding him that Naruto would never be able to see such a thing again.

"Are you thinking about the fights?" The blonde suddenly asked.

"…hnnd."

"And now you must be thinking just how inferior you are compared to Hinata and me."

"Hnn-wait, what?"

"Stupid Sasuke."

A moment later, Naruto was up and stretching his tired muscles. "Get up. And bring your equipment. I left mine at home."

"Wha-"

"Just move!" Naruto hissed as he tapped his chest as if looking for something. He would have expected the pain from whatever Saya had done to him to linger still, given its sheer magnitude. He was surprised to see that was not the case. While he did feel the expected soreness after all the activity of the previous day, there were no traces of the unbelievable agony her surrogate mother had put him through. It was as if it had never happened. Being somewhat acquainted with incredible agony, it was somehow hard to believe. Just what exactly had she done to him? Some sort of Genjutsu?

A few minutes later, they were strolling through the vast garden areas of the deserted Uchiha compound. While Sasuke had begun to notice that some of the buildings were beginning to be reoccupied (namely those closest to the rest of the village), most of the clan grounds were still avoided by the population of Konoha. Not like there was any reason for anyone to go there, anyway.

Sasuke did not fail to notice that Naruto was putting distance between them and the house, obviously to avoid the possibility of disturbing his mother.

"_**Senrigan **_is a very complicated jutsu." Naruto began, his back turned to Sasuke. "It 'reads' the flow of wind around and through objects and turns it into an image I can understand. It also 'reads' the very small temperature gradients caused when the heat emitted by objects heats the air around them."

"This means that I can perceive the shape and position of objects in every direction and from every point of view."

"Hina-chan's and Hana-chan's _**Byakugan**_ also gives them all-around vision, but it is fixed to the frame of reference of their position. In other words, they can see in every direction but only around themselves."

Naruto pointed at a tree approximately twenty yards away to their right. "If I want to, I can see things from the perspective of that tree over there." He dropped his arm. "Or I can pretend I'm the grass down there and look upwards." Then he pointed up at the sky. "Or I can look down at the two of us as if I was a bird."

"This must sound really cool to you, and it is, but there's problem. _**Senrigan **_'feeds' me every possible perspective at the same time. Do you get it, Sasuke? If I let _**Senrigan **_run on its own, my head would explode. It's like having infinite eyes, and not just stuck to my body. Defective and limited in what they can see, but still, infinite."

"The way to deal with this is, fortunately, very simple. What _**Senrigan **_shows me is an image created by my brain from information acquired through my chakra. An image, see? It's not real sight. Looking at it like that, it's not different from Genjutsu. That means I can decide what I want to see and what not."

"Right now, for example, I have my back turned to you, but I'm seeing things as if I was facing you, and that's because I 'told' _**Senrigan **_to show me things that way."

Naruto finally turned around to face Sasuke. "Do you get it?"

Sasuke frowned. "I…think I get what you said, but I don't see the point-"

"_**Senrigan's **_primary weakness. The one weakness so blatantly obvious Father didn't even have to mention it."

Lowering his center of mass to assume a combat stance, Naruto taunted his raven-haired friend. "Try to hit me."

"Huh?"

"Come'ere. Try to hit me."

"Naruto, just what are we doin-"

"Punch me, you pathetic, pansy momma's boy!"

Sasuke twitched. "DOBE!"

The taller boy struck with a right hook that Naruto parried with his left arm. Naruto's right hand caught Sasuke's left arm before the Uchiha's fist could reach his solar plexus. Feeling Naruto's right foot hooking his left from behind Sasuke avoided the obvious attempt at being tripped by spinning around Naruto to get behind him. Naruto turned around in time to weave to the right of Sasuke's low blow.

"Stop."

The puzzled Sasuke did as told.

"When you moved to get behind me, what did I do?"

Sasuke frowned, but answered. "Well, you turned around to…face…me…"

While Naruto couldn't read Sasuke's face, he could understand the sudden pauses in his speech. "You get it? If _**Senrigan **_works the way I told you, why did I turn around?"

Sasuke let go a half-smile before reassuming a normal posture. Naruto, too, had relaxed his stance. "Because that's the normal reaction."

"In a one-on-one fight, you always want to be facing your opponent." Naruto nodded. "That's _**Senrigan**_'s weakness. Because of the need to control where I want to look at, even when I turned around to look at you, _**Senrigan **_was still showing me what was in front of me."

"Every time I move, I have to make _**Senrigan **_move its perspective accordingly."

Sasuke released a long, deep breath. "That's harsh."

"Yup." Naruto sat down on the grass, and Sasuke followed. "Hana-chan already figured it out. Every time we spar, she keeps moving all around me to confuse me, and _**Yokazeryuu**_ is a perfect style for that kind of strategy. If it's a faster opponent, like you, Hina-chan or Saya-kaa-chan, I'm done." Naruto flicked his fingers. "Of course, if I notice you're trying to do that, I can switch to all-around vision, _**Byakugan**_-style, and problem solved. That's what I do most of the time, and that's what Hina-chan does with her _**Byakugan **_to sorta keep up with okaa-chan, I guess. My problem is that all-around vision wastes chakra like you can't imagine."

"It's kinda weird." Naruto mused. "My 'eyes' cannot keep up with my body, or something like that."

"Why are you telling me this?" Sasuke did not look amused.

Naruto shrugged. "Dunno. Guess I wanted to tell you."

Sasuke let himself fall on the grass. "I don't need your pity, you bastard."

Naruto snorted. "Give me a kunai."

"Hnn." Sasuke growled but complied. Naruto threw it up, and then the projectile began to fly randomly above them, making sharp turns every second or so.

"_**Tesabaki**_. The idea is simple. I create wind currents that move an object with the speed and direction I want. It's a very rough way to move things from a distance, and it gets obviously harder to move them the heavier they are. Even changing the direction of this kunai and make it fly with the tip pointing forward…it took me a while to get the hang of it. I call it 'Manipulation', but it's really more like 'juggling'."

Indeed, Sasuke could feel the trails of the gusts of wind Naruto used to fling the kunai around. The flying weapon made a last sharp turn downwards for Naruto to catch it.

"You're doing the same stupid thing." Naruto declared as he joined Sasuke to rest on the grass. "Just like when Itachi-nii-san left."

Sasuke frowned. It bothered him, how the single mention of that name still made his heart freeze and his blood boil at the same time. It was disgusting.

"Don't forget that you're not the only one who has problems, teme."

Naruto's voiced was quiet, almost a whisper.

"These jutsu…this knowledge…"

"Hina-chan's stronger than you because she trained harder than you, as simple as that. She fought, she sweated, she cried and she suffered. I saw the beatings she got from Saya-kaa-chan. It wasn't easy for Hina-chan, you know. At the beginning, she had nothing. She was weak, both her body and her mind. But she refused to stay weak. She wanted to become stronger, so she gave it her all, and now…now she's strong…and she'll become even stronger." Naruto smiled to himself. He was definitely impressed. Hinata had only encouraged him to work even harder.

"And I…I want to be Hokage."

An ominous spring breeze fluttered over their faces, half-awake, half-asleep.

"Most of the time, people ignored me. They still do, you know?"

Sasuke nodded. Umino Iruka and some others at the Academy were good examples. It was impossible not to notice.

"Father…he really believes I can do it. Become Hokage. He believes in me, and that's why he's teaching me everything he knows."

Naruto turned his head to look at Sasuke, and Sasuke returned the gesture. Naruto's smile was bursting with affection.

"Sasuke, finally, there's someone who is willing to listen to me, to answer my questions, to show me the world I can't see anymore. Someone who's willing to teach me, to help become the person I want to be."

He turned back to face the sky he could not see.

"I want to know things. I want to understand this world. Because, you know, people respect smart people, and, well, being smart is good. Old man Hokage is pretty smart, so are my parents, and Mr. H. One day I will be the guy who answers the questions instead of asking them."

"So, that's why I study hard. Father really tries hard to teach me, and he really, really likes it…it makes you kinda like studying, too. It's cool. And it's really hard, but I keep studying, because I never forget the reason I'm trying so hard…even if _**Fuuinjutsu**_ is a hassle. It's awesome, yeah, but a total hassle."

"You want to become stronger; do it for yourself. And throw all you've got into it. Doing things in a half-assed way is stupid."

"And do it for yourself, really. Forget about Itachi-nii-san." He was grinning when he looked back at Sasuke. "When the time comes, we'll kick his ass together. I mean, he's totally badass, but if we do it together, I'm sure we can beat him. And you'll get your answers."

Sasuke, his face an emotionless mask, hadn't moved his eyes off Naruto's face the whole time. Why was it that, the more he tried to push Naruto away, the closer he seemed to get? Why was it that the person who reminded him of Itachi the most was also the person he kept the closest? Why was it that he agreed to tolerate his frustration, his pain and his envy just to bear with Naruto's presence?

"I wish I could hate you." _But…you are…_

Naruto smiled. "Good to know you don't."

Sasuke snorted. "Hnn…" Finally looking away, he enjoyed the night sky for the two of them. "…I am Uchiha Sasuke. I won't stand in your shadow. I refuse to."

The blonde to his right simply chuckled. "Tough. My shadow is going to cover the whole world."

"And then, when you look up, I'll be there." Sasuke afforded a smile. To fly…it was a nice metaphor.

"Fair enough…oof!" Naruto grunted when he got on his feet with a single impulse. "But you're not gonna get there unless you train!"

"Now?" Sasuke complained half-heartedly, as he was already standing up. Naruto made the familiar cross-shaped seal, creating a dozen shadow clones behind him.

"Like Anko-chan says, no time like the present."

"Wise words from a crazy woman."

"Ah, so true, so true…" Naruto chuckled. "Did I tell you of the time she filled my bed with snakes? To 'start the day pumped up with adrenaline', she said."

"No, and I wish you hadn't."

Sasuke chuckled, and then attacked.

_Thank you, dobe.

* * *

_

Much to Shiki's relief, the dragon princess looked more amused than annoyed or exasperated.

"You have an uncanny ability to escape my clutches, Houraisan."

"My deepest apologies, Hina-sama."

"Pfft." The dragon princess snorted. "Don't say things you do not mean."

"I…sorry."

Night approached its end. However, in its last heartbeats, it refused to fade away and be forgotten. The night breeze caressed the leaves and whispered eerie lullabies to whoever was willing to listen. It was a song forbidden to humans; those who have lost the power to listen to the world around them in exchange for everything that makes them human. Tender lullaby, sorrowful nocturne; the song that did not escape Ryuuguu Hina's supernal self was the song she wished the man with her could enjoy.

Hina chuckled and shook her head. Her small, delicate fingers trailed Shiki's ebony hair. The elder Houraisan rested on the moist grass of the "Clan Grounds," his head using the mighty goddess' bare lap as a very comfortable pillow.

Hina loved humans. She loved their ephemeral existences, struggling to stand above the limits of their selves and reach for whatever lies beyond. Struggling, growing, and evolving, ever and ever. It was something she admired, really, but that never changed their inferior status. She admired some of their qualities to the point that she was willing to teach them, nurture them and, of course, explore new avenues of pleasure with them.

Then what about this man? Something more than a mere human; something below supernal. Something that **shouldn't be**, but is, and the goddess, in all their years of association, has not being able to make something of it.

Nonetheless, Hina was not a goddess of complexities. She was not one to dwell on things like that.

For a dragon, she was unusually brazen. Then again, it could be her human half.

"Well, I guess I cannot blame you if you suddenly start coughing and vomiting. That is a real mood-killer." She added; her tone mirthful and playful.

Shiki did not say a thing, but made an awkward face. Hina's amused expression softened, aging in the lapse of a second, becoming wise beyond her apparent age.

"Why, Houraisan?"

"I…am afraid I do not understand."

"Why do you refuse me?"

Unlike the goddess' expression, Shiki's face became a mask of stone. "I would never refuse you, Hina-sama."

"More like you can't."

Shiki remained silent.

"We…" Hina continued. "…we have had our share of flirting, but…this is the first time I command you to pleasure me."

Shiki remained silent.

"…you did as told, of course. At least, you tried."

The seal expert closed his eyes. He did not want to admit it, but he was feeling more and more relaxed under the watchful gaze and the pleasant touch of the dragon goddess.

If only the knot in his stomach finally decided to untangle.

"It was obvious to me that you did not want to do as I told you. Why is that, Houraisan?"

Despite her amiable expression unchanging, Shiki felt the air around him become noticeably colder.

"Am I not beautiful enough to the likes of you?"

Shiki held back the urge to chuckle. Who knows how she would read such a reaction?

"Hina-sama, you are beautiful beyond words. No being in its right mind would think otherwise."

"Hmm…" A single finger drew a line on Shiki's right cheek. "Big words…and honest, they seem. I am flattered."

Shiki didn't respond to that. Hina's words were nothing but a formality.

He did not like the pang of disillusion in his chest. Why was it that his human feelings struck him with the same frenzy as in his earliest years? It was unfair.

"Then, Houraisan, why does your self reject me?"

Opening his eyes to meet her emerald pupils, Shiki spoke.

"I am a married man."

Hina gave him her best 'who do you take me for?' look. "That is not really an excuse."

Shiki sighed in response. "Sadly, it isn't."

It was a regrettable truth that marriage was not a bond strong enough to resist the wiles of a beautiful female.

The night breeze, the flutter of leaves and the dances blades of grass, they were all invisible, intangible and inexistent. Even with all their commodity and familiarity, the presence of the goddess drowned reality and commanded all attention. From his position, laying on the grass and resting on a flawless pair of thighs, he could not gaze at the dark sky, the swaying clouds and the twinkling stars. There was nothing but the twin pools of green that stared down at him, framed by one of the loveliest of faces.

Houraisan Shiki's mind punished itself, like it had done so many times before. He had become Saya's husband long before Hina was even born. His marriage was older than the Elemental Countries, older than shinobi culture itself. But it didn't change the fact that his wife was just one corner of a triangle.

A glorious trinity of females who had claimed his heart.

It was the truth. And it hurt.

It was the surprise that prevented the dragon princess from stopping him. Without her retaliation, Shiki found no resistance to getting off the comfortable support of her lap and sitting on his knees, his back to her. He would speak the truth, but he did not dare look at her.

"Hina-sama…"

Hina tilted her head, a cute gesture suitable to her child-like looks. "Hmm?"

"Many, many years ago…before I became…" His right hand, which had been clutching the fabric of his pants, moved to grasp the white shirt on his chest. "…this…I made a promise."

"I broke that promise, because I was stupid and selfish and desperate." Shiki dropped his head, succumbing to the unpleasant memories that haunted him for centuries. "I broke that promise, and I damned her to this…" His voice was the reflection of his disgust. "…this **unlife**."

Hina wordlessly stared at the seal master's back. She was very intelligent, and very perceptive. She was a half-dragon. She could tell Shiki was baring his soul to her. She could tell his words were very important, and she gave them the attention they deserved.

"Shinigami-sama never gave her a choice. I never gave her a choice. She never asked…to become this…to exist like this. It was all me…I asked the Death God to save her…to do whatever he had to do…to keep her with me…it was all…my selfish desire…"

Hina could not keep her mouth closed. "Houraisan, what…?"

But Shiki spoke again. He spoke for a very long time, all for the ears of a stunned and amazed Ryuuguu Hina. Shiki spoke of a time before ninjas and Hidden Villages, a time when countries did not exist as political entities. A time when 'chakra' was a novel discovery and the word 'jutsu' was yet to be coined.

A time over eight hundred years before, when Houraisan Shiki was still human.

He spoke of his childhood, of the original Hourai Mountain, of his family and their wealth. He narrated the day he was introduced to a young and pretty girl, Haruno Saya, of how they became best friends and of the games they played together.

Of how they fell in love.

Then he spoke of the Hyuuga and of the plot which led to the birth of the _**Byakugan**_ and to the young couple's death and undeath. Had she not been a supernal, Hina would have probably found the whole story farfetched and beyond belief. Aware as she was of the truth in Shiki's words, she could not even feel pity for his tortured self. While she was used to the dalliances of supernals and humans; affairs in which the human almost always ended up on the losing side, Hina had never heard something quite like what Shiki had just revealed to her. Being the artificer of some of those tales, she knew and accepted the simple fact that, more often than not, supernals used humans; playthings, chess pieces set to act for the supernal's amusement and/or benefit.

To her eyes, Shiki and Saya were just another pair of losers in the endless games of supernals. For most of them humans who dealt with supernals, death was nothing but a welcome release. The Houraisan couple could not even count with that.

But she could not pity them. Shiki had just said it. He asked for it, unaware of what he was asking for, unaware of the single, simple fact that deals with supernals are always losing deals.

So, no, she did not pity him. She did however, understand him. His tragedy. His regret. His uniqueness.

"I…hope you understand now, Hina-sama." Shiki concluded. "As long as this body works; as long as these lungs breathe and this heart beats, I refuse to break that oath again. I love her…and I owe it to her. It's my happiness…and my atonement."

They were surrounded by a fierce breeze, as if calling for him, cursing the name of the broken man who refused to die and doomed himself to a forbidden existence. The whispers of the trees spoke ill of Houraisan Shiki; echoes of an underground goddess who rejected and despised his very self.

"Houraisan. Look at me."

Hina was surprisingly patient. It took Shiki a whole minute to gather his wits and obey the goddess' command. While he wanted to do nothing but the very opposite, he fixed his eyes on her small, round, lovely face.

"Who else knows this story?" She paused. "Besides your wife, that is."

"Only Yukina knew before you, Hina-sama."

Hina nodded. She remembered Yukina, the stunning snow-haired nekomata: the twins' mother and Shiki's original summon ally.

"Why do you tell me this? To answer my question you didn't need to go into such detail."

Shiki sighed. He felt pathetic.

"For the same reason I told Yukina. Because I wanted to share my entire self with someone I love."

An ordinary human would be feeling the cold of those last wisps of night. Hina remained impervious, shamelessly displaying her naked beauty. On the other side, her face unflinching, her skin unchanging; the mighty draconic being unwilling to show her heart. It would be below her. As a goddess before a lesser being, she always had to be in control, no matter the situation, no matter the words.

No matter the truth.

When the young dragon goddess closed the distance between them to kneel in front of him, cup his face in her small, flawless hands and lock her lips with his, Shiki did not resist.

As much as it pained him, the truth was that he did not want to.

* * *

Before the first lights of dawn, as expected of all high-ranked shinobi outside a mission, Masaki Kouki woke up. Well-honed shinobi senses quickly scanned his surroundings, even before his eyes opened. The familiar feel of the fabric and the instinctive awareness of the position of objects around him gave him reassurance that he was in his bedroom.

The first and only (not so) abnormal thing he noticed was the spaciousness he had available to him on the bed.

Yume was gone.

He allowed himself a small smile. It was one of the reasons he was in a relationship with his noticeably attractive Genin underling: despite her infatuation, she was capable of keeping her priorities straight. She was not a fangirl; the very thought was insulting. Yume was a Kunoichi. A very decent one, Kouki would admit, with looks that could prove deadly.

While he knew having preferences among his students was unfair and improper, truth be told, it would not feel right not to give Yume special treatment and training in exchange for the mind-blowing blowjobs (and other things) she gave him.

There was no doubt in his mind that Yume's skills already stood above her teammates'. Maybe she was ready to try for Chuunin, even.

Not moving from the bed, Kouki stretched his well-built musculature, starting from his neck and moving downwards. Maybe they should not have gone so wild last night, he thought. He did not doubt Yume would be already getting ready for the day, no matter how sore she might be feeling.

A Kunoichi alright.

Two or three minutes later, when he was done working out his toes, he jumped off the bed, his sleepiness long gone. He had a long day ahead of him.

He and his team had a mission to prepare, after all.

* * *

Under the cold shower, Imamiya Yume cleansed her body and washed away the scent of hours of sex. She guessed she could afford to take a while longer in the shower that morning, to properly wash her hair and remove all hints of her hidden liaison with her Jounin sensei.

She was in love. There was no doubt in her mind about that. And it wasn't the silly pre-teen love that made prepubescent girls chase after boys like Uchiha Sasuke. That she was also absolutely certain of. Maybe it had been like that at the beginning, but she knew it was true love when her feelings didn't fade when faced with Kouki's negative points.

Being the only one in her team who had seen their sensei taking a life, she was the only one aware of Kouki's worrisome quirk.

Her lover is a man who enjoys the act of killing. He is not one who actively seeks the death of others, for Yume would never love a serial killer, but, when given the chance, Kouki relishes it like the most addictive of substances.

Yume would not be surprised to know her beloved became a shinobi simply because killing is part of the job description.

But, despite that, she loved him. To her, he was a good shinobi, a dedicated teacher and an affectionate lover.

She loved him and she cared for him.

She would follow him anywhere.

That is the reason she never gives anything but her best.

That night, that mission, would not be the exception.

* * *

"Haaa…that was good." A sweaty but satisfied Houraisan Uzumaki Naruto disposed of his soaked t-shirt. In a surprising act of carefulness, he used it to wipe his feet before reaching the wooden floors of the sole remaining Uchiha residence.

He couldn't know that there were still around fifteen minutes before sunrise. He only knew he had been training with Sasuke for what felt like hours. He was tired, but it was a good kind of tired. Every single fight, even a mock fight with Sasuke, was a learning experience. It was an endless growth: furthering his swiftness with _**Senrigan**_, combining _**Yokazeryuu **_with _**Tesabaki**_ and learning when to switch from close-combat to middle-range strikes with projectiles. It also reminded him of his lack of offensive techniques outside of attacks using his scrolls and tags.

_I really have to work on my Ninjutsu…_

Ever since Shiki let him know that he wasn't teaching Naruto any _**Fuuton**_ jutsu, Naruto had put that issue aside to focus on _**Yokazeryuu**_ with Hanabi and his studies of Sealing Techniques.

He had delayed it long enough.

Another good thing was that Sasuke had restored his fragile self-esteem. Despite _**Yokazeryuu**_, there was no doubt of Sasuke's superior skill with Taijutsu. Naruto needed to enhance his speed and dexterity with slight bits of wind-nature chakra to match Sasuke's natural fluidity of motion. It was amazing. It addition, his fire techniques made an offset Naruto could not match without plenty of weaponry, tools and explosives.

Sasuke was still fighting a horde of Shadow Clones, left behind by Naruto, who wanted nothing more than a good shower. If his friend wanted to fight some more, so be it. Naruto wasn't going to stop him. The very opposite. Even if it hurt like hell.

He was looking forward to his shower to the point that he didn't hesitate to slam the bathroom door open.

That was when he stopped.

His limited perception caught the "sight" of a shapely body seated on a tiny (pink?) stool. Long, black, soaked hair stuck to soaked skin, contouring a body with pronounced curves on all the right places.

"Ara…good morning, Naruto-kun." Uchiha Mikoto didn't stop rubbing soap on her body, even as she greeted the blonde boy. She did, of course, turn to welcome him with her warmest smile. "Didn't know you were awake."

This was, of course, a lie.

"Uhh…uhh…"

Despite his inability to fully glimpse Sasuke's mother in all her naked glory, Naruto still possessed firm knowledge of concepts such as shame, and an awareness, instilled by his mother, of what is improper and of what isn't.

Blind as he was, he still knew that walking in on a naked female was not right.

Unless it was a female Hyuuga, apparently.

Or Anko.

"Please close the door behind you."

"Ahh…uhh…right."

Naruto did as told. It took him ten full seconds to realize that he had closed the door with him still inside.

"Agh! Ah, I'm so-"

"Is that really necessary?"

"Huh?"

Mikoto's smile never faltered. "I can see that you want to take a bath, Naruto-kun. Since you are already here, you might as well join me?"

"Huh?" Naruto repeated. His head turned down to "face" the sponge he was being offered.

Mikoto's smile remained lovely. "Wash my back?"

* * *

Some girls have the habit of taking objects with them to bed. Some simply grab a large pillow; some prefer the company of stuffed animal dolls.

Yamanaka Ino once pondered making a stuffed Sasuke doll, eventually discarding the idea as "too creepy."

Hyuuga Hanabi literally squeezes the stuffing out of her precious (and notably large) fox doll.

Hyuuga Hinata sleeps in the nude and completely uncovered. It began as part of her training for the _**Karyuu**_ style, as she was supposed to discard her clothing and the bed sheets and use her Fire chakra to ward off the cold, even as she slept. She simply got used to it.

Mitarashi Anko simply takes off her jacket and skirt. She actually likes the feel of her semi-transparent undershirt to the point that she wears it to bed.

Houraisan Saya and Yuuhi Kurenai had curiously similar preferences. They both prefer sleeping in nothing but her panties, but sometimes enjoy wearing exotic and silky smooth kimonos to sleep. However, while Saya hopes to entice her husband with these occasional choices of nightwear, Kurenai only collects them as one of her few guilty pleasures.

That previous night, Tenten slept with a scroll trapped in her embrace.

A scroll full of exploding, cutting, slashing, piercing and maiming tools made by her and Naruto. It was like all her previous thirteen birthdays compressed into a single bundle of joy.

She went to bed late that previous night, wearing a huge smile, after hours of toying with and tweaking with the scroll and its contents. In her dream, she rained sharp steel death upon hordes of faceless enemy shinobi. Then she unleashed full stacks of exploding tags and converted the battleground into a wasteland of ashes. But then a new battalion of enemies assaulted her and she responded with a hailstorm of shuriken. That exploded.

Yes, it was a very good dream, and when Tenten first opened her eyes that morning, she did it refreshed and with a smile.

If asked about her love for weapons, she would respond with a long diatribe on the fabrication of such weaponry. She would speak of the detail, the care and the effort of the smith when making a single shuriken; and the blissful satisfaction of watching it fly true when in the hands of a professional.

If asked about her love for explosions, she would just say "because they're cool!"

Tenten is, in many ways, a simple girl becoming a simple woman. She would not like it any other way.

However, when she looked at the scroll pressed against her developing chest, she saw more than its sheer destructive potential.

She saw a bond of friendship and loyalty. Naruto was always so eager to please her and to make cool things for her…it bothered her a bit, but she also could not deny that she liked to be pampered a bit. She had never had someone so willing to be kind to her, besides her parents, of course.

She saw the brilliance of a young blind boy. Naruto was far from a Seal Master and he admitted it was very difficult to figure out, but he still managed to do things that amazed her. She guessed they were not really that amazing, but the fact that they had only taught her the simplest of storage seals in the Academy –and only because she asked and insisted until she got what she wanted– and none of the basic theory immediately resulted in her awe at the things Naruto showed her whenever he could. The fact that he was always willing to teach her only gave him more points.

She saw the potential to become stronger and more skilled. Naruto obviously knew Tenten did not waste time reverse-engineering every single new seal she found in whatever scroll he gave her. Tenten knew Naruto actually expected her to.

And, finally, she saw her own blossoming feelings.

Her fingers trailed the rough surface of the rolled scroll, just like they had traced Naruto's face and torso the previous afternoon, after the last of his fights. The thoughts that invaded her mind; the idea that she proposed herself; the electrifying, uncomfortable sensation produced by the contact; they all came back to the forefront of her thoughts that early morning, making her squirm.

"Mou…what are you thinking?" Tenten whispered to herself. "Saa, you have to get ready."

"Moving to stare at the ceiling above her bed, Tenten raised her right arm, holding the scroll above her head. Trailing circles on its cylindrical surface with her thumb, she gathered her thoughts on the events to come. Her first C-rank.

She was ready. She would do her job flawlessly. She hoped she'd get a chance to try the things in her new scroll. She would quickly return to share the tale of her exploits with Naruto. The idea of the short blonde devoting the entirety of her attention to her while she narrated the details of her latest mission made her giddy for some reason.

* * *

There was, certainly, something therapeutic about beating the living shit out of a horde of Narutos.

When the last one disappeared with a loud "pop" sound and a burst of white smoke, Sasuke sighed contently. He was sweaty and sore all over, but he found the pain satisfying. It was the pain of a thorough training, the award for hours of physical exertion.

Naruto had a point. He, Uchiha Sasuke, should be proud of his combat skills. But he still was a little annoyed at Naruto revealing the weaknesses of his techniques so half-heartedly.

"_Hey, look at it from the bright side! If I suddenly decide to betray Konoha and run away to join some evil ninja, now you know how to stop me."_

"Idiot." Sasuke muttered with a muted chuckle.

With the training over, the only thing in Sasuke's mind was taking a long, soothing bath. He wondered how long it had been since Naruto left him in the backyard and whether the blond was already done with his own bath.

Big was his surprise when, a few steps away from the bathroom door, it opened to reveal a towel-clad Mikoto. She did not stop drying her hair with a second towel, not even after noticing the mute stare of her youngest offspring.

"Ara, Sasuke, dear, I can see you've had quite the workout." It was one of those occasions his mother's placid smile really grated on his nerves. "Are you hungry? Let me get dressed and I'll fix you two boys a quick breakfast, ne?"

The raven-haired twelve-year-old stared at his mother's back as she walked to her bedroom, humming an unfamiliar tune.

It took a few seconds, but Sasuke shrugged the whole thing away. It wasn't precisely the first time he caught his mother straight out of a bath, or even while seated on the toilet. He guessed those things just happened, and it was just his mother, after all. It was, at worst, mildly unsettling.

Only when his hand reached for the doorknob did his brain register the facts.

"Wait, if mom was in there, then Naruto…"

He opened the door.

"Haaa…eh?"

Oddly, Naruto had traded his sweaty and dirty orange bandana for a white version, stubbornly refusing to show his "eyes" to anyone outside of his family. He sighed and reveled in the warm embrace of the bathtub…or at least, he was, until the familiar shape of Sasuke appeared under the doorframe.

"Uh! Sasuke! Umm…" Naruto had no doubt his friend had seen his mother exiting the bathroom and connected the dots. The initial embarrassment returned full force. "Uh…well…"

"Dobe."

"Waah, so close!" Sasuke had seemingly halved the distance between them in a split second. "Wa-wait!"

"Dobe." Sasuke repeated. He was standing by the edge of the tub. Naruto was secretly grateful for his inability to look up at Sasuke's pitch black pits of doom he called eyes. Swallowing hard, Naruto accepted his fate the only way he could: smoothly.

"Sasuke. As much as it pains me to admit...it is exactly what it looked like-mmmmbbbrgggglll!"

Naruto's _suave_ moment was interrupted by his head being dunked deep in the water courtesy of Sasuke's left hand.

* * *

Mikoto couldn't escape the urge to blush in the presence of **IT**.

Why she had suddenly opened the second door of her closet, where **IT **was kept hidden, she did not know. She had been looking for something plain and comfortable to wear, and somehow her search had led her to **IT**. Maybe it was because they had a visitor for the first time since, well, ever, and as a consequence she wanted to wear something special, even if their visitor was her son's twelve-year-old friend.

If that was the case, then, why could she not stop staring at **IT**?

It was something she had secretly acquired years before, a few months before Itachi did his thing, in an embarrassing attempt at rekindling the embers of her marriage. A rather exotic item in its craft as well as its purpose and its uniqueness; it was this embarrassment which stopped her from using **IT**, until it became too late. **IT **has stayed hidden for years inside that closet, forsaken and forgotten by **ITS** owner.

Yet it was there, right in front of her, that otherwise ordinary morning. If she had known that her eldest child was going to go homicidal she would not have hesitated to try **IT** in front of her husband. She was forever left with the question of whether Fugaku was into nekomimi. Not that it really mattered anymore.

"Hmm…" The more she thought about it, the more amused she was by the idea brewing in her head.

"Very well." Mikoto concluded. "At the very least, it should be amusing."

With those words, **IT **was released from its confinement to be unleashed upon the world.

* * *

"I'm home."

Shiki was not surprised by the lack of a response. The only sounds came from the kitchen, where his wife cooked breakfast. It was a routine for them, part of their attempt at pretending to be human. They did not really need to consume food at the rate humans do.

Slowly, he claimed his usual seat on the dining table. To be so tired so early in the morning, it was troublesome and mildly depressing. He wondered if this was somehow similar to the aches of old age. In the end, Shiki faced it as he did everything: as a new, enlightening experience.

But his declining health was not the matter at hand, after all.

As quietly as his wife, Shiki watched her cook. While he was just as capable of cooking, he always considered his meals bland compared to what Saya could prepare. He watched her as intently as he had watched her so many centuries ago; when she had actually dragged him away from his studies to personally teach him how to do it.

"Had fun?"

The voice was low and calculating. It was a voice Shiki had heard before, but one he never looked forward to hearing. However, she asked a question, so he answered.

"That would not be the word I'd use. The results were satisfactory, that I must admit. Did I wake you up when I left? I'm sorry."

Shiki winced when Saya slammed her hand on the stove. The pot above the fire shook dangerously. Even he felt the reverberations of the impact from the floor.

"Why didn't you tell me?" Saya spoke softly, again.

"I did not see a reason to."

The pot shook again.

"How long?" The voice seemed tired, defeated. Saya's knuckles were white from squeezing the soup ladle, and her shoulders shook from many contained emotions.

"It started a few months after the massacre. Mikoto-san came to me. She needed help and I was interested."

Finally, Saya released the ladle. Bringing her now free hand up to her face, she felt the first tear tracing the curve of her right cheek.

"Ah…aah…" From her lips escaped a quiet, sorrowful lament. Her other hand squeezed the stove so strongly it threatened to break it.

"Saya." The husband continued. "I believe I must properly explain what you saw-"

"WHAT'S THERE TO EXPLAIN?"

The pot jumped for the third time, spilling some of its contents, which hissed and bubbled up as they slid down the pot's heated metal surface and came into contact with the fire underneath.

Shiki's body tensed and his eyes displayed unusual amounts of emotion. He did not clearly remember the last time Saya raised her voice like that.

She finally turned her face to him, and Shiki got to see her glowing, bloodshot eyes. He had never seen Saya this furious outside of combat. Unwillingly, his heart began to beat faster, and he acknowledged the painful feeling of realizing he was afraid of his wife.

"WHEN WAS IT?" She screamed. "WHEN DID YOU STOP LOVING ME?"

Those words triggered a switch in the seal master, granting him the courage to face this new obstacle.

"Saya, you don't understand-"

"Like HELL I don't understand!" With her teeth bare in front of him, she looked like a rabid beast poised to strike. Shiki would have hoped such emotions would never mar his wife's beauty like that, but it seemed that was just wishful thinking.

"You…" She lowered her head. Her shoulders were still shaking. "You don't need me anymore…you don't want me anymore…"

A bitter chuckle. Somehow that pained Shiki more than everything before. Then she looked back up, and he quickly changed his mind. The oxymoron that was her smile, both bitter and affectionate, hurt him beyond anything else.

He was losing her, as she lost herself within her painful delusion.

"Saya!" He spoke forcefully, yet carefully, as he did not want to stoke her anger by mistake. "You have always being first and foremost in my heart!"

It was a rather convoluted way to put it, but it made the job of carefully ignoring his feelings for Hina and Yukina.

Had Saya been on her senses, she would have looked at Shiki's face and acknowledge his words as nothing but the truth. However, at this moment, reason was not completely effective anymore. In fact, it seemed as if she had not listened to his words at all.

Still carrying that horrible, yet beautiful smile, she felt so distant, even if she was only a few steps away.

"I guess…" She spoke; her tone soft and remorseful. "…I guess…you never really forgave me, did you?"

Shiki's eyes widened in alarm. He was truly scared by now. "Sa-Saya!" He inched a step closer. "That has nothing to do with-"

"I…I really tried my best, you know…" Saya continued, completely deaf to her husband's voice. "I tried to be a good wife, really…" She clutched her left arm with her other hand; a clearly defensive gesture. "I really wanted to make you happy…make you forget…" Another bitter chuckle. "I guess…it didn't really work, did it?"

Her face darkened, and alarms blared in Shiki's head one more time.

"…if you need to go to some other woman…"

Shiki would have been enraged by the insinuation if he weren't so worried. "Saya, I have never-"

"You should have just told me…" Her sad words were laced with a dangerous tinge of womanly wrath.

"Saya-"

"YOU SHOULD HAVE SPARED ME THIS PAIN!" She yelled, and Shiki actually took a step back. Saya's chakra had flared for a moment there. Having a chakra as monumentally immense as a tailed beast's was not precisely comfortable. It was fortunate that the safety measure installed in the Houraisan grounds would prevent the sudden flare from reaching the awareness of Konoha.

Drawing courage from his love (or so he thought), Shiki tried to approach his wife. "Saya, you don't know what you're saying…"

"DON'T MOCK ME!"

There was absolutely no way Shiki could have reacted in time. In a mix of fright, anger and mindless desperation, Saya lashed at him in an attempt to reject his advance. Her right fist, almost as mighty as Tsunade's, stuck Shiki by his jaw, under his left cheek.

The effect was instantaneous.

The haze in Saya's mind faded when she heard the sickening sound of the back of Shiki's head slamming the wall by the front door. His body then fell on the ground like a string-less marionette.

For several moments, the only sound in the house was the hissing of the overflowing soup on the stove behind Saya, spilling its contents as it boiled beyond necessary.

The ever-young lady watched Shiki's still form with uncertain eyes. The longer he remained completely still, the further her uncertainty polluted her mind.

"…Shiki?"

At least in presence, she was alone in that room. Fearfully, she moved a step closer.

"…Shiki? Ah…aaa…you…you okay?"

The sheer stupidity of that question seemed to escape her. Not only her shoulders, but her whole arms were shaking by this point.

"Shiki…" Her right hand caressed her lower lip for some reason. "…Shiki…"

She had not walked two steps when the door by her fallen husband's side exploded inwards. Saya shrieked and ducked as the wooden pieces flew dangerously close to her head. Her body went into full alert when the clear sound of footsteps reached her ears.

"`That is something I shall deal with myself`, you said…" A small, feminine figure looked down at the still body. "…idiot."

"Y-You…" Saya recognized the newcomer with a trembling voice.

Hina's divine chakra flared angrily. "That is no way to address a goddess, you deathless!"

The older woman shuddered when the furious pulse of chakra pass through her, rooting her to the floor like a terrified puppy.

"Both your insolence and your stupidity have not waned with the years, Houraisan Saya." Hina's talons made a resounding sound on the wooden floor with every step, as if the goddess wore high heels. "I don't know who's more of an idiot: you or your infuriating husband."

Saya tried to move away from the approaching goddess, but Hina closed the distance between them in the blink of an eye and seized Saya's throat, effortlessly closing her windpipe.

"I haven't forgotten, Saya. Your traitorous, insolent thievery."

The deathless' eyes widened with the princess' green pupils became thin and reptilian.

"My Taijutsu. My Dragon Gates. My gift to humankind. You shamelessly abused my kindness and made my techniques yours when they were not yours to have!"

The hurt, broken Saya had long being reduced to a whimpering, almost child-like figure. Whether it was the pressure of Hina's presence or the aftereffects of her violent argument with Shiki will remain unknown.

"I should have killed you then. I wanted to; oh you have no idea how much I wanted to."

Saya shrieked one more time when the smaller goddess flung her over her shoulder and threw her over to the fallen man.

"HE saved your life, you disgusting woman! He pleaded! He begged! He shed tears for your worthless self!" Every sentence was a roar.

The fallen woman turned her gaze to her husband. Nothing seemed to be broken; for that she was glad…and a bit surprised. She would have guessed he'd be faring much worse after that punch. He was just unconscious, it seemed.

"I spared you out of respect to the man you call husband. I spared you because he gave away his most precious possession in exchange for your unlife."

"His _**Fuuinjutsu**_. His most advanced, most secret theories and jutsu, he gave them all to me! He did it for the likes of you!"

It seemed the more she thought about it the more furious Hina became. However, right when it seemed she had reached the dangerous peak, Hina took a deep breath…and calmed down.

"Stupid…humans are…truly stupid."

Even after calming down, there was a frightening luster in the half-dragon's emerald eyes.

"I could easily destroy you, you know? Destroy you and take him for myself. I doubt Shinigami-sama would give a damn."

Saya, while she did not take her eyes off the goddess, did lower her head and tense her muscles. She had always been aware of Ryuuguu Hina's interest in her husband (she could not call that love). She had always been aware of the fact that Hina could kill her with three fingers while blindfolded.

"Sometimes I really wonder why I don't do it. Now I think I know."

Looking down at the unconscious figure, Hina finished. "That moron…he'd probably kill himself if I killed you."

With the calm pace only a divinity could muster, the dragon princess claimed Shiki's seat by the dining table.

"Now, heal him. Once he awakens we'll make this stupid misunderstanding clear."

* * *

Sasuke had followed Naruto's idea and taken a long, soothing bath after him. After a stop in his bedroom to get a change of clothes, he proceeded to go to the dining table. The pleasant odors of cooking filled the entire house, drawing him like a hook on his nose, only not as painful.

Mikoto seemed to be humming a tune Sasuke did not recognize. He got into visual range of the kitchen…and once again, a part of him suffered a horrible death. Really, at this point he would run out of parts of his soul to trade for more power.

"Hey, Sasuke! Check it out!" An excited Naruto pointed at the woman happily working in front of the stove. "She looks awesome, right?"

True, Naruto couldn't fully appreciate the view, but he actually liked how Mikoto's unusual change of clothes changed the shape of her body. It was…unique, to say the least.

"Oh my, Naruto-kun, you're such a flatterer-nya!" Mikoto chuckled happily. She truly appreciated Naruto's attempts at complimenting her despite his blindness. It was rather endearing, and it was always good when somebody else made her feel beautiful. "That deserves an extra special portion for you this morning!" She declared before breaking one more egg and adding it to the sizzling pan.

"Woo-hoo! Thank you, Miko-neko-chan!"

"Mu-nyaaan! Tee-hee!" The woman returned Naruto's smile with one just as childish.

"Wha…wha…" A trembling finger pointed at Mikoto. "…what the HELL?"

Mikoto turned off the stove and presented herself before Sasuke. "Ah, ahahaha…well…" She scratched the side of her head. "I've had this dress for a while, but I never got a chance to wear it, so I saw it today and wondered 'why not?'" She actually seemed a bit shy before her younger child. "So…what do you think?"

With her hands clasped in front of her, her forearms pushed her breasts together, further adding to the notorious bust-raising effect of the revealing dress itself. Looking down, he saw more of his mother's legs than any child should ever see outside of a beach or public bath.

"Wha-wha-bu-wha…" Sasuke shuddered. "Ne-nekomimi…meido…"

Mikoto rather self-consciously toyed with the frills of the overly short skirt of her maid costume. "S-So…it's not good?"

"Of course it's good!" Naruto gave his friend's mother a thumbs-up. "Sasuke's just a lousy jerk."

"I…" Sasuke seemed to be almost in pain. In the end he just shook his head and turned his back to the dining room. "…I'm going now."

"Ah? Whe-where? Breakfast…" Mikoto inquired.

"To develop Lightning Manipulation. Maybe if I send enough electricity to my brain I'll be able to forget this entire morning."

Naruto and Mikoto remained silent until Sasuke's steps could no longer be heard. After that, the woman turned to the blindfolded boy.

"So!" She started excitedly. "Do you think he liked it?"

Naruto chuckled. "Of course he did! He's just not good with words."

Mikoto seemed honestly encouraged by the words. "Thank you, Naruto-kun. You're truly a wonderful young boy." She praised while she walked back to finish making breakfast.

"Of course! I'm awesome!"

* * *

Setting the voluminous scroll on the wooden floor in front of her, Hinata rubbed her temples. She had a serious headache.

One of the most important things she had learned at the Academy was to appreciate the magnificence of the human body. It was such a fantastic machine, capable of performing all sorts of different and highly complex actions. It was obvious to her that this fantastic machine had to be extremely complicated in composition.

The Academy's lessons in anatomy could only be described as sufficient. There was no need to go into much detail, as the institution did not intend to train medic-nin.

Most unfortunately, Houraisan Saya was not as considerate. If Hinata wanted a chance at learning _**Fukyuu no Ryuu**_, she would have to learn a few aspects of human anatomy, physiology and chakra theory.

"_Shiki has been teaching Naruto how to understand the world around him. What you, Hinata, need to understand is how your own body works. With that understanding, the Immortal Dragon will allow you to become one with the world."_

Those were Saya's words. For that reason, she was surrounded by scrolls and books and pages and pages of notes since early in the morning, reading topics from anatomy to physiology to biochemistry, as well as pathology and an essay on something the author, somebody called Tsukiji Suika, called "natural" or "nature chakra." Besides the heavy stack of material she received from Saya, she had retrieved everything in the clan's library even remotely related, and she fully intended to seek out more from the village library. It was a lot of work, but she had a very good reason to do even beyond her best; a reason even more important than her own growth as a Taijutsu Artist.

"_Do not even dare slack on this, my girl. Both Shiki and I expect you to teach this to Naruto sooner or later."_

"I must learn this. My knowledge will be Naruto-kun's knowledge. I will not fail."

It was at this point that the sliding door of the dojo was opened.

An annoyance.

"What is it?" Her voice was harsh and steeled; a perfect mirror of her lack of interest in engaging in conversation.

After a moment of surprise at realizing he was being addressed, Hyuuga Neji quickly composed himself and lowered his head.

"My apologies, Hinata-sama. I was unaware the dojo was occupied."

"Now you know." The girl coldly declared before turning back to her reading. Sure, she had noticed the subtle change of intonation when Neji said her name, and she needed no special eyes to know she was getting a cold glare from her cousin. She just did not care.

Hizashi's death was regrettable, true. He was a good man, and a good uncle. She no longer blamed herself for it, though. She understood how this ruthless world works. Besides, she was a completely harmless girl at the time. What could she have done?

"_You just can't sit down and cry and hope for someone to show up and be nice to you! Believe me, I know! Your clan sucks? TRY TO CHANGE IT!"_

Naruto's words remained clear in her memory.

Neji could hate her, blame her and look down on her as much as he wanted. Once she was in control of the clan she would demand either his loyalty or his life.

It was as simple as that.

The clan's prodigy's face incensed when he realized Hinata had absolutely no intention to speak to him anymore. She was blatantly ignoring his presence!

Closing the door slightly more loudly than the norm, Neji stormed his way away from the dojo. Hinata held back a sigh.

"Such a waste of time…" She muttered to herself as she grabbed a different scroll, her favorite amongst the ones she had checked so far.

Wound healing.

That and the chapter on blood were giving her a few interesting ideas.

* * *

It was not very often that Saya felt remorseful. Regret was not something she carried in notable quantities. Having lived for as long as she had, pondering the consequences of her smallest actions became utterly asinine. In the dusk of her existence, she only bothered to live every day: both the things she wanted to do and the things she knew she had to do.

That day, however, she felt like crap.

The worst thing was that she still was not sure what made her feel the worst.

Hina's punishment still hurt substantially, of course. That was to be expected: the second dragon princess was one of the strongest divinities Saya had ever met.

Then there was her pitiful misunderstanding. In retrospective, of course, it became obvious that she had not put enough thought into this. Just for starters, she was so old she could not feel the slightest attraction for the short-lived humans anymore, no matter how good-looking they could be. It was obvious her surgically stoic husband would feel the same; even if he was a man, he had undergone andropause quite a long time ago. And his unliving body had never produced the normal concentration of testosterone, anyway.

She had always been more cautious around female Supernals, anyway. Saya had always been wary of Yukina's closeness to Shiki. It did not help that the albino nekomata, the moment she became of age, declared she wanted Shiki to be the father of her children.

It sickened her to admit it, but Saya had been just a little bit glad when Kyuubi put an end to Yukina's life.

The twins? They were just silly children. If anything, Shiki saw them as his daughters. If they got too cocky in a few years she would sic them on Naruto and problem solved.

Then there was Hina.

In the middle of the supermarket, Saya gripped her basket until the handle almost cracked.

For the Gods, she hated that accursed pseudo-loli. A divinity should not be so infuriating.

Still, there was no denying that the dragon princess was mighty. It was the reason Saya once pretended to be an ordinary (albeit very talented) human and underwent training with Hina's tutelage.

There was also the fact that, even with the situation cleared, she was still angry with Shiki.

It had never infuriated her so; the colorless, frustratingly scientific way in which he tackled most things. It was easy to blame him and his personality for this entire mess. Most people would have brought out the whole Mikoto thing at some point: a conversation in bed; a topic to discuss during a meal, whenever.

Shiki did not share it with her simply because he did not see a reason to.

Sometimes you don't need a reason to bring something up. Sometimes you just want to talk, to gossip, to share something with someone. Why couldn't her husband understand something as simple as this? He was a deathless, not a machine.

To him, Mikoto was just another _**Fuuinjutsu**_ experiment. Just like he did not discuss his many other projects with Saya, he had omitted this particular one, remaining blind to the obvious misunderstanding until it was too late.

And she had hurt him. That was probably the worst.

She had never hurt him before. Outside of training, of course. And he had never harmed her, either…not even in training, thinking about it.

Saya grimaced, even as she grabbed a plastic bag and began to fill it with tomatoes. It was almost as if Shiki deliberately wanted her to feel horrible about herself.

How could she have lost control like that? While she was (comfortingly) surprised by her husband's resilience, she knew she could have seriously harmed him, had she used a little bit more force.

"You can control your emotions better than this, Saya." She muttered to nobody but herself.

A hand reached the carton of milk before hers.

"Ah."

A girl Saya had only seen once before rested the carton in front of a particularly gifted bust.

"Ho-Houraisan…san."

"Oh, you are…" It took a moment to retrieve the particular piece of info from that recent memory. Her mind was not what it used to be. "…Imamiya."

Imamiya Yume nodded and respectfully bowed before Saya. She was the wife of a clan leader, even if it was a three-person clan. "Good morning."

Saya curtly returned the nod and proceeded to pick her own carton of milk, plus three more. "Shopping at this time of the day?"

"Ah, umm…sensei gave us the morning, so I thought of sparing my parents the hassle…" The girl chuckled timidly. It was obvious she was not sure how to address Saya.

"Hmm, such a good girl. Well then, take care."

"Ah, yes. Thank you."

The aged woman was already thinking of the next item on her shopping list when the beautiful Genin spoke again.

"Ah, Ho-Houraisan-san!"

Saya stopped but did not turn to face the girl. "Hmm?"

Yume only stuttered and hummed a few times, however. "Uhh…um…it's…it's nothing." She dropped her gaze. "I'm sorry."

"…hmm."

Uncaring, Saya walked away, uninterested in the pair of eyes on her back.

She finished her shopping in silence, ignoring the odd glances she got from the cashier (as the mother of the fox brat, of course). Her husband waited just as quietly near the entrance, standing by the magazine counter and…was he checking women's magazines?

"You can find valuable knowledge in the most unlikely places." He explained once he became aware of the utterly horrified look on his wife's face.

Somehow his words were just not very convincing.

Konoha's weather was very soothing that afternoon. Spring was in full bloom; it could be seen in the reborn greenery and on people's faces. Saya effortlessly carried two bags with a single hand. She did not need to look at Shiki to know that his body was moving automatically; his mind wandering who-knows-where. Whatever he was thinking about, it probably had to do with seals.

Saya tried to remember when her husband became such a pragmatist. He was a few weeks short of his fifteenth birthday when they died. Until then, he had been a rather average child, if a bit unenthusiastic about most things. Saya did not remember ever seeing the young Shiki playing with other children, or even hanging out with friends other than her. The fact that he was the heir of a wealthy family had a bit to do with that, true, but Saya guessed the young Shiki was just not prone to making bonds with others.

Her aimless reminiscence was abruptly interrupted when she felt her husband's hand reaching for her own. She shot him a wordless stare.

"We haven't walked like this in quite some time, right?"

It was true. In the past few years she had held Naruto's hand many more times than her husband's. To bring it up at this precise moment…

"…idiot." It annoyed her, but she was actually blushing a little. She was not supposed to act like a teenager, just look like one!

"…curious. Only women say that to me."

"You mean the half-dragon bitch."

"I will ask you to refrain from using such words to address Hina, my dear."

Saya's expression darkened considerably. "So it's 'Hina' now."

"I apologize. She asked me not to use honorifics."

"You know she's doing it to piss me off."

"I am aware."

Saya felt her husband giving a gentle squeeze to her hand. It was an unusual gesture from him. His eyes never left the street road, however.

"Sometimes…I have wondered…how my life would have been…if I had been the only one returned to life."

Those words made the Lady Houraisan more than a little bit alarmed.

"It should have been like-the only reason you were brought back…"

"Shiki."

Husband and wife locked their eyes on each other; their feet coming to a stop. The man, used to veiling his emotions, could only be read by the woman, who had centuries of experience on her side. The woman, used to displaying her emotions, freely showed with her facial expression that she was plainly confused.

"We had this conversation before, didn't we?" She inquired. "I mean, my memory is not what it used to be, true, but I remember…when you explained to me just how we came back to life…"

Saya's words trailed off and her pupils widened when the ideas rapidly clicked in her head. It was an epiphany.

All of a sudden, everything that is Houraisan Shiki became absolutely clear in Saya's head. Had she not been amazed by the revelation, she would have kicked herself for taking over eight hundred years to figure it out. She would later regret that the revelation did not come in a more dramatic situation.

On the way back home from the supermarket was just too lame.

_He…he's been dwelling on this, all the time. He's still…all these years…he's been…_

She smiled. It was the smile that gave her the name "Chiyu Egao," and the smile Houraisan Shiki fell in love with so many years ago.

He blushed, and Saya's smile broadened. Yes, she still got it.

"Idiot."

Shiki blinked when his wife wrapped her free arm around his, inching closer to him and urging him to restart walking. Noticing the man's puzzled face, Saya chuckled.

"I can be selfish too, you know."

Stunned, Shiki stared at his beloved's radiant face for several uncomfortable seconds, until he finally sighed, defeated. He could only return the smile, albeit tiredly.

"Of course you can. That's how we got a child, after all."

A chortle was Saya's response. "Ah, right, right."

Like that, the strange couple; a clan leader and his wife; walked together through the busy streets of afternoon Konoha. A glance at the two would give the appearance of nothing but two rather pale-looking youngsters in love, while their ages summed together gave a number higher than the age of most current gods.

"Nee, Shiki…"

"…hmm?"

"…do you think we're good parents?"

He certainly did not expect that question. However, he was ruthlessly honest, as always.

He could hide things, but he would never lie to his wife, after all.

"I like to believe we've been good teachers." He began. "As for good parents…I honestly don't know."

Saya winced. Truth was painful, indeed. "He might hate us by this time tomorrow."

And with several good reasons; their secrecy regarding Kyuubi being only one of them.

"If that happens…we can only hope we've taught him well enough for him to walk on his own." Shiki concluded with an awkward smile, which Saya easily read through.

"I hate it when you use fake smiles."

"My apologies, love."

* * *

"Urgh…"

Mikoto lifted a single eyelid. From the hammock where she had been placidly resting for most of the afternoon, she could hear her child's grunts as he practiced the most basic sword katas over and over again. She had spent the whole morning introducing him to his new "Weasel Beater" (provisional name), and the boy seemed determined to learn how to wield it skillfully as fast as possible. The strongest incentive was realizing that, indeed, her mother was a Kenjutsu specialist and actually knew what she was talking about.

The Uchiha demigoddess could not help but feel an itty bit of pride at seeing at least one of her children following her path.

However, that last moan had not come out of his son's mouth. Uchiha Sasuke does not moan dejectedly…or so she thinks.

Wriggling her body to allow herself to see the world beyond the hammock, Mikoto quickly found the source.

"Anything wrong, Naruto-kun?"

"Eh? Ah, no, no-ah." Naruto quickly remembered that, even if he did not need to turn his head, it was still proper manners to face the person he conversed with. "Umm, no, it's nothing, really, Miko-neko-chan."

Mikoto was quite amused. It seemed the name stuck. Not that she really minded, anyway. It was kind of cute.

Naruto was seated on the floor just barely out of her arms' reach. He had opened a tremendously large scroll filled with nothing but text and more than a few equations, as well as the occasional diagram. It dazzled Mikoto's pupils for a bit.

"That looks harsh." She commented, a bit stupidly. Naruto sighed.

"Yeah…and I guess I can't ask you to teach me Harmonic Bounded Fields, right?"

Mikoto sweatdropped. She did not have the slightest idea what Naruto was talking about. "Haa…I guess not."

Not only was Shiki's knowledge of seal theory on a level of its own (he helped create the art, after all); the approach he used to describe _**Fuuinjutsu **_was fundamentally different from the one used by all other seal experts. Those versed in the topic called them the Two Schools of _**Fuuinjutsu**_: the Standard School (also known as the School of Six Paths) and the Houraisan School. Neither was better than the other; the Houraisan approach was more appropriate than the Standard for many applications, and vice versa.

Shinobi (and other people who studied seals) chose to focus on the Standard theory because it was much simpler to understand at a base level and because it was most useful for the usual applications they use seals for.

"Argh, well, it's not like I'm in a hurry…" Naruto concluded, giving up and proceeding to roll up the scroll. Not even the bandana on his eyes could hide the obvious disappointment, however.

Naruto stiffened for a moment when Mikoto stretched her arm to reach his hair. The woman was reminded of a startled cat.

"I'm sure Houraisan-sama would not give you anything you are not capable of learning, Naruto-kun."

"I…would have to disagree, but…" He grinned half-heartedly. "I don't think this is one of those cases. I'll just have to take it slow."

"Whatever works." Mikoto ruffled the boy's hair a moment longer before pulling away.

Naruto was aware that, until his sealing skills reached a certain level, he would be bound to depending on tools such as exploding tags and many, many projectiles. Without his storage scrolls his offensive capabilities were greatly diminished, as he was forced to rely entirely on _**Yokazeryuu**_. He lacked the balance Sasuke had. Hinata…Naruto guessed Hinata did not really need anything else.

Putting _**Fuuinjutsu **_aside for a while, he moved to his Ninjutsu project. He wanted offensive Wind techniques, but so far no ideas had formed in his mind…well, that is a lie.

Naruto's Wind Taijutsu inflicts little damage on average, the only exception being _**Hakke Kyoufuushou**_, which is a very circumstantial technique. However, the constant was that _**Yokazeryuu**_'s wind attacks inflict impact damage.

_What Wind truly excels at, is cutting._

However, a straightforward cutting attack was, well, too simple; too standard. Too dodgeable.

An original 'cutting wind' jutsu with Naruto's official seal of approval would have to satisfy two conditions. First, it had to be FAST. So fast that, even if he used as a frontal, easily visibly attack, the opponent would have problems avoiding it. Second, it had to be unconventional in its approach.

Naruto sighed, which elicited a tiny chuckle from the beauty on the hammock. He was probably asking too much from himself. He had just become a Genin, after all.

On a more positive note, that morning he had come up with an idea for a new jutsu. It was a utility jutsu, and something he would try to teach to Hana-chan as soon as he could. Thinking of how excited the little Hyuuga would be brought a smile to his face.

He got on his feet and stood by the hammock, looking down at the female figure stretched on it.

"Nee, Miko-neko-chan?"

"Hmm?"

"Sasuke won't train with me right now. Can you train with me?"

Naruto could not see the lovely pout on Mikoto's face. "Does it have to be now? I'm so happy here…"

The lone surviving female Uchiha curled her body in defiant opposition to Naruto's idea. This only amused the boy.

"You know, you're really like a cat when you are like that."

As if on cue, Mikoto's feline bits popped out of thin air, twitching almost invitingly.

"You look like you have nothing to do, Naruto-kun. Would you jump in and scratch my itch?"

"Yay!"

Some distance away, Sasuke had to do a double-take when his eyes happened to come into contact with the sight of Naruto and his mother cuddled together in the ample hammock, the former gleefully scratching behind the latter's cat ears. Mikoto had contently nestled her head on Naruto's torso, her left arm reaching around his waist to embrace him.

"Is she purring-no! Wait!" Sasuke shook the weird thoughts aside. "She does that on purpose!" He hissed. "She wants to distract me! One with the blade; must be one with the blade…"

"Ahahaha, this is kinda relaxing!" Naruto pointed out.

"It is very, very pleasant, I must say." Mikoto admitted. "Do you think you could stop by our place more often, Naruto-kun? I'd very grateful if I could get this kind of treatment more often…"

"She could ask her son to do it…" Sasuke mumbled angrily.

"Why don't ask Sasuke? I mean, he's your son and everything…"

_Nice, Naruto!_

"Nah, his hands are surprisingly soft and smooth. You know, like a girl's."

"HEY!"

"Ah, that's too bad." Naruto shook his head, having nothing but pity for the young Uchiha lad. "Well, his loss. Sure, Miko-neko-chan, I'll come scratch your itch whenever you want!"

"OI!"

Mikoto chuckled in unbridled amusement. "That's the spirit, Naruto-kun. I promise I'll make it up to you…somehow."

"With ramen?" Naruto asked excitedly. Mikoto giggled, and her lips threaded deliciously close to Naruto's earlobe.

"Maybe I can find something even better."

"YAY! Awesome!"

Sasuke facepalmed. What did he do to deserve an idiot best friend and an obviously insane mother?

_I swear I'll kill you for this, brother._

"I'm a lady, you know." Mikoto continued, ignoring her child's inner battle. "I need the touch of a man from time to time…"

"NOW WHAT THE HELL IS THAT SUPPOSED TO MEAN?"

Sasuke seemed about to invent the "Body on Fire" jutsu.

"Your hands are quite rugged, Naruto-kun…"

"Uhh, yeah…"

"Hmm…feels so nice…"

_I'll kill you, and then I'll kill myself. _Sasuke concluded, like some sort of yandere. _And Naruto too, just for the hell of it.

* * *

_

The sun had come down about an hour and a half before.

Hanabi had noticed, as she departed from the dining room, how her father fixed his clear orbs on her back. Even Hinata had been aware of how intently Hiashi had been watching his youngest daughter's back.

The littlest Hyuuga was a bit startled by her father's attention, but not enough to trouble her. It was not like she intended to run away from home to meet Naruto or something like that.

She was a good girl, so she would obey her father. Also, she believed in her nii-chan. If Naruto said he'd find a way for them to keep in touch, she would just believe in him and wait for the good news.

If she remembered correctly, Naruto had stayed last night at the Uchihas. Naruto and Uchiha Sasuke should on their way to the Houraisan residence, where Naruto would return the favor by inviting Sasuke over.

The next day, she would spend it with Naruto. Their last day together.

She was excited, but also very, very sad.

Walking by the northwestern-most edge of her clan's grounds, Hanabi tried to improve her mood by thinking of all the fun things they would do together. Maybe they could play the kissing game again…

Two muted impacts on the grass behind her announced that she was no longer alone. She was startled for a moment there (not having _**Byakugan **_active), but that was quickly dismissed.

"Ah, you're here-"

The end of the sentence got caught in her lungs; stopped by a hit to the back of her head that sent her to the emptiness of unconsciousness, her face frozen in a question that remained unasked.

Yume caught the young Hyuuga before she could hit the ground.

"Was that really necessary?"

Her Jounin sensei effortlessly picked up the tiny girl, wrapping his arm around her waist and holding her to his side. "The better to keep her quiet and still."

The attractive young woman nodded, but she was still a bit uneasy about knocking out a little girl. "And now?"

"We take the established route. It's better to stick to the plan until we're outside Konoha proper."

"So that means the boy, Naruto…"

Kouki jumped away before Yume could properly state the question. Startled by the suddenness of her sensei and secret lover, Yume shot him the evil eye for a second before proceeding to follow him.

Everything was silent in the Hyuuga Clan grounds.

Maybe too silent.

* * *

Naruto was amused by the difference in size between his baggage and Sasuke's. While he had only taken a change of underwear, basic hygiene products, his trusty scroll and the one Shiki had given him to study ("Harmonic Bounded Fields and Split Hypermatrices"); Sasuke's backpack looked like he was about to desert Konoha and become a missing-nin.

"Seriously, mom…" Sasuke whined in quiet tone. Of course, it was a cool whine, not a…well, whiny one.

"Really, she went a bit overboard back there, huh?" Naruto chuckled. He wished he could have seen Sasuke's face while Mikoto stuffed the large backpack with all sorts of stuff. "Well, at least you got your thermos with strawberry milkshake!"

"I wish you were dead."

"Now that's just not the sort of thing you say to your ex, Sasuke."

"Actually, it is."

Naruto just laughed at that. "But, man, Miko-neko-chan sure is fun. You gotta invite me over more often!"

"I'd be a masochist if I did that."

"Pooh, you're no fun. I promised her I'd scratch her itch every once in a while, you know."

"STOP SAYING THAT!"

"Wha-?" Naruto was noticeably confused. "Why? I mean, it's a promise…"

"AAAAAARGH!" Sasuke groaned in frustration, as he was definitely NOT going to explain the innuendo in that sentence.

A series of very distinguishable sounds drew the two children's attention in an otherwise deserted road. They had already made it past the former Uchiha grounds and the Hyuuga clan grounds, slowly approaching the northeastern corner of Konoha, where the forest that housed Houraisan beckoned.

"What's…?"

Naruto did not need Sasuke's cue. His _**Senrigan **_had been expanded two seconds before. He did not like sudden noises he could not identify. So, he noticed the two roof-jumping figures before Sasuke did, as they approached from behind.

_What's that…?_

One of them had a really odd shape…

The two figures dashed past the two newly graduated boys as if unaware of their presence. One decidedly female, the other just…weird, to Naruto's perception.

"Hey, isn't that…?" Sasuke squinted to try and get a better look in the dark of night. "It is! Naruto! It's your girlfiend!"

"Which one?"

"The lit-WHAT DO YOU MEAN 'WHICH ONE'? IDIOT!" Sasuke did a perfect tsukkomi and smacked the crown of the blind blonde's head. "It's your chibi Hyuuga! Those two have her!"

"Hana-!" Naruto's gasp got stuck in his throat.

It was as if Sasuke had flicked a switch in his friend. Naruto quickly associated the odd shape of the largest person as a man carrying a smaller form by his side.

_Hana-chan._

"Those two…" Naruto's voice had become sharp as a blade; icy as a glacier. "…they did not look Hyuuga to you, did they?" Before Sasuke could agree, Naruto continued. "No…a Hyuuga would not carry Hana-chan like that."

"I think she's unconscious, Naruto." Sasuke's voice had sharpened considerably, too. This was serious. And the way Naruto's body was trembling was a bit unsettling. "We have to-"

_Hana-chan._

Naruto was already on the nearest rooftop, chasing after the kidnappers.

"…call for help." A slightly miffed Uchiha finished to himself. "Oi, Naruto!" He called much louder, quickly catching up to the blonde. "We have to-"

"_**Kage Bunshin no Jutsu**_."

Two clones departed in opposite directions.

"One will get my parents; the other will look for the nearest patrol. The moment we enter Houraisan territory, drop your luggage."

"Hnn." Sasuke nodded. It was good to know Naruto was still keeping his cool…to a point.

While it was not certain they had taken this specific direction, it made sense for both children that anybody trying to get away from Konoha would try to reach the vastly unguarded forest as fast as possible.

"We weren't fast enough, they got too far." Sasuke muttered angrily. "In this forest-"

"For as long as they stay within my clan's grounds, I'll know where they are." Naruto did not bother explaining _**Hakke Happou Fuuin Kekkai**_. "After that, I'll see if I can find them with _**Senrigan**_, but I can't promise anything."

Naruto was aware he could not rely much on his perception jutsu for very long ranges.

"I'll follow you, then." Sasuke agreed.

They jumped off the last roof tile and made it to the first branch. The rooftop chase had become a treetop venery.

"Did you see their headbands?" Naruto happened to inquire.

"Not really."

"Doesn't matter." Naruto declared. "Whoever they are, or where they come from, I'll make them pay."

The hunt was on.

* * *

**End of chapter five…

* * *

**

**Author's notes: **so, it's been how long? Ah, not like I really care.

This is Fantasia, chapter five. I hope you enjoyed it; I also hope it was worth the wait…maybe not. I mean, it was pretty much exposition and NaruMiko antics. The next chapter is definitely the most important in Fantasia and one of the most important in the "Wind God Chronicles" as a whole. I'll put a lot of effort on it, so please do look forward to it…whenever it comes out.

So, no music this time. Really, this chapter was just transition. And I'm kinda lazy right now. No Narutionary, either: there are not any new terms, after all.

**Next chapter! **What should have been little more than a game becomes a deadly confrontation. Revelations abound in the heat of battle, and something awakens within Naruto. Whether it will be a god or a demon, it might not depend on him at all.

* * *

**Technique List**

_**Fuuton: Fuujin Senrigan no Jutsu **_**(**風遁: 風神千里眼の術, A-rank, Supplementary, All ranges,**): **Wind Release: Wind God Manipulation Technique. Naruto's wind-based perception jutsu, which combines perception of convection heat and mechanical waves to gain three-dimensional, all-around awareness of his surroundings.

_**Fuuton: Fuujin Tesabaki no Jutsu **_**(**風遁: 風神手捌きの術, C-rank, Supplementary, Short-to-mid range,**): **Wind Release: Wind God Manipulation Technique. The user can control and manipulate objects from a distance by means of wind nature manipulation. It also grants instinctive awareness of the flow of air the user creates when he uses this technique.

_**Kage Bunshin no Jutsu **_**(**影分身の術, B-rank, Supplementary,**): **Shadow Clone Technique. Creates identical, fully-functional copies of the user (clothes and equipment included) by dividing his chakra equally among them.


End file.
